Sex, Lies, and Mr Gibbs
by mickjaggerasfrankandalex
Summary: Capt. Sparrow, Will, and Elizabeth head out with the Pearl's crew to rescue Capt. Castilla, Annamaria's mother. No one planned for all of the sexual tension that ensues. . . Finished, please review!
1. The Pearl's Return

It was a year after Barbossa and his undead crew had ended their treacherous reign of the Spanish main, thanks to Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Captain Jack Sparrow. The year before, Jack had shot Barbossa seconds before Will had dropped the cursed gold into the crate, ending Barbossa´s life and making his crew mortal.The Royal Navy had successfully gotten back their ship and banished the crew to the "godforsaken spit of land" that they once marooned Jack and Elizabeth on. After sailing back to Port Royal, Jack narrowly avoided being hanged thanks to Will and escaped to the Black Pearl, his rightful ship. Elizabeth and Will finally found happiness with each other, much to the dismay of Governor Weatherby Swann and Commodore Norrington.

Will was perfectly content with his blacksmith´s job but worried that he wasn´t good enough, even though Elizabeth never showed anything other than pure affection. She was a kept woman, why did she love him? he wondered. He could never give her much but his heart and even that he was hesitant to bring into this relationship.

Often, Will and Elizabeth made trips up to the bell tower, to that fateful place where Elizabeth and Jack both nearly fell to their deaths because of a corset and walking backwards, respectively. They would look out to sea, laugh at the foolish guards who protected the H.M.S. Courage with disgusting importance, brandishing their bayonets and puffing their chests out as they walked around. Most importantly, Elizabeth and Will talked seriously about their possible future together. Whether that involved pirates was anyone´s guess. No one had heard from Jack since that fateful summer one year ago.

Elizabeth was wearing a heavy dress, as Governor Swann still insisted she dressed like a lady, though she preferred breeches and her undergarments. Though she wore these blanket-like dresses all her life, the heat made her wish she could throw the dress into the water below and just wear her petticoat and be done with it. She fanned herself.

As Will and Elizabeth stood on the edge of the tower, which now had a railing to prevent any more fallings, Will took Elizabeth´s face in his hand and said softly, "Elizabeth, do you love me?"

Elizabeth paled. She fanned herself some more. Did she? Of course, Will was the object of her affection ever since they met nine years ago, and she constantly dreamed about what a handsome man he became. But when she met Jack Sparrow, her rescuer, it was all different. Those kohl-smeared eyes, the dreadlocks in his hair, and the wit and charm that he possessed had made her question her undying love toward Will. She giggled nervously and said, "Will, darling, I care for you deeply."

"But do you love me?" Will feared her answer, as she didn´t come straight out and say it. He looked at Elizabeth who was gazing out at the calm sea. Her brown eyes were narrowed and her neck craned. 

"Is that the Black Pearl?" she asked breathlessly. She grabbed Will´s hand. "It´s the Pearl!" she cried excitedly. 

Will instantly forgot his groundbreaking question. Was Jack back for good? No, it couldn´t be. He squinted and saw a miniscule dot on the horizon. 

"Elizabeth, that ship could be any ship that was docked in Port Royal." Will smiled at her. 

"Oh, Will, I know it´s the Pearl! Come on, let´s go to the dock and wait!"Elizabeth grabbed Will´s hand and ran down from the tower, passing three of the Navy guards, who tipped their hats, saying, "Miss Swann." 

Trotting (running would be considered unladylike) across the fort green, past the beautiful palm trees and onto the dock where the H.M.S. Dauntless was anchored, Elizabeth halted and strained to see the ever-growing speck, which was happily drawing nearer. Will exclaimed, "Elizabeth! You scared me, running off like that!" 

"Come on, Will, I was only trotting." She gave him her most charming smile and then they kissed for a very long time. 

Captain Jack Sparrow was proudly displaying his new hat and his commanding skills. "Come on, Annamaria, steady on ´til we meet that dock." 

"Aye," Annamaria replied, rolling her eyes. Jack had promised her her boat and while she had gotten it (eventually) what about the other promise he made her? During that orgy of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, Jack and Annamaria had become lovers once more. While Annamaria didn´t expect anything to amount to that night, as she knew what a notorious womanizer Jack was, it had. They became a "couple," and were very romantic. Annamaria thought the pairing bizarre and broke it off. She sensed something was weird. Jack went right back to playfully being Annamaria´s close friend. It irked her more than he being romantic. She personally liked another pirate, but wasn´t about to admit it. 

A half hour of Gibbs yattering about seeing "dear Miss Elizabeth again" was driving Jack mad. Only the the thought of seeing Will and Elizabeth was keeping him sane. Especially Elizabeth. Jack sunk low on the deck and tried not to grin. That tart was just begging to be taken to Tortuga and shown the time of her life- in JackÕs bed. Jack allowed himself a smirk. He should´ve seduced her that night when they were both drunk. Then she had to go and blow up his stash of rum! The wench! But they WERE rescued. But if Jack hadn´t drunk himself into unconsciousness he could´ve bedded the most beautiful girl this side of the Atlantic AND saved his rum. Oh well, Jack had his imagination. But Jack was ashamed to admit that he imagined Elizabeth when making love to Annamaria. Lucky she sensed there was something weird and broke it off. Jack knew Elizabeth was the one, his days of the Tortuga prostitutes were over. 

"Captain, we´re approaching shore," Annamaria yelled. 

"Drop the anchor," he called out. He was going to swim to the docks. He spotted the happy couple waving furiously at the Pearl´s crew. He stripped himself of his new hat, his jacket, his shoes, and his belt, and then dove from the ship and swam to his old friends. 

"´Allo, Will. . . Elizabeth." He nodded and grinned, his gold fronts glinting in the afternoon sun. He kissed Elizabeth´s hand and made her giggle a bit too loudly. Will looked at her in amazement. What had gotten into her? 

Jack shook Will´s hand and gave him a hug. A manly hug, two pats on the back, right hands clasped in a shake."How´ve you been, Will? Keeping Elizabeth warm at night?" He winked conspiratorially and pouted his lips at Elizabeth. 

Will blushed and Elizabeth widened her eyes. "Jack Sparrow, I might´ve known you were coming back soon. But why?" She curtsied, a curtain of mousy brown hair falling between she and her desire.

"My dear, sweet Elizabeth," Jack replied, taking her face in his tanned, leathery hand. Elizabeth felt limp and she closed her eyes. But it wasn´t because of the highly sexual Jack Sparrow touching her, the heat was making her woozy. "Are ya feeling all right?"

Elizabeth answered this by ripping off her blanket-like dress and letting it fall into the sea below. "I am now." Was that a flirty smile she just gave him?

_That girl wants me_, Jack thought. _Wench may´ve burned my rum but she burns my heart, too._

"Jack, so tell us about why you´re back in Port Royal." Elizabeth winked at him. "Any more cursed gold lingering around?"

"Wanted ta see my two companions again!" Jack said cheerfully. "Plus, crew was getting antsy. . . ´specially that Gibbs. Requested ya personally, Elizabeth,– he added. He grinned again. "Come on, chums, join me ´n the crew on a trip! ´Ill be less´n a year, dear Eliza," he said, seeing the look on Elizabeth´s face. He let out a mighty cackle and spotted Annamaria and Mr. Gibbs approaching them, coming from land.

"We got a heavy supply of rum, Cap´n," Gibbs cried. Then he brightened and said, "Miss Elizabeth! Good Lord, you´re beautiful!"

"Thank you," Elizabeth sighed as Gibbs ran up to her and kissed her hand. Sucked it, more like. She tried not to grimace and shot a "Help Me" look at Will. 

"Mr. Gibbs!" Will intervened. He took Gibbs´ hand and shook it. "How´re the high seas?"

"Surprisingly uneventful," Gibbs replied. He stared off into space. He´d been lusting after Elizabeth since they met up eight years after he accompanied them on the move from England to Jamaica. Those lips, those hips, those. . . well. "I´ve been missing you two!" He smiled genially at both of them.

Jack, still sopping wet, rolled his eyes. Horny ole Gibbs would´ve gladly joined Elizabeth on her trip to the island she and Jack were marooned on. He tried not to think about it. Annamaria smiled at him and handed him his goods. 

"May I ´ave a moment of yer attention, please?" Jack asked. They all turned to him. "Introducing. . . my new hat." He displayed it proudly and Will and Elizabeth clapped. "Also got me a new dagger."

"Thanks to me," Annamaria added. "Pillaged it from the governor of Kingston. Has quite a collection. I took the nicest, of course." _For my once-beloved_, she thought. She half-smiled at Jack.

"Well, what´d ya say, Will ole chum?" Jack said. "You´re nearly a pirate, this could seal the deal."

Will would´ve liked nothing better than to join his friend on a journey to prove his manhood. As he brightened, Annamaria smiled inwardly. _That man could make my tool any day_, she thought. But she sniggered out loud. Everyone looked at her in surprise. The Black Pearl´s crew had never heard her laugh. 

Elizabeth, who barely knew Annamaria, wondered what she could possibly find amusing. The thought of Elizabeth as a pirate? Elizabeth felt her temper flare even though Annamaria hadn´t actually done anything.

"Sure, Jack, I´ll join you. What´s your mission?" Will looked like a little wriggly puppy. Elizabeth had to smile at his enthusiasm.

"And if Will´s going, so am I!" Elizabeth said. If she didn´t love Will she could at least be in close proximity with Jack.

Will was genuinely excited. Since he learned of his father´s pirate-hood, he was ready to give up his job for a bit of the old swashbuckling adventures Jack was so proud of.

Jack felt his beaded beard and said, "It´s mainly for Annamaria." Upon hearing this, Annamaria stopped rubbing her lips with a bit of wax she found in her pocket and perked up.

"Her mother´s bin kidnapped," said Jack heavily. 

Annamaria´s brown eyes widened. "Jack! Are you serious? Why didn´t you tell me?!" She looked dangerous and shocked. She geared up to slap him, but unexpected tears pricked her eyes. "´Scuse me," she said brusquely to Gibbs and leaned against the post closest to the ocean, her back to the rest of the group.

"We´ll discuss this later," Jack whispered hastily. "Come, the Barnacle Tavern awaits." 


	2. Barroom Blues and Swann's Discovery

Elizabeth had never been to a tavern. Toothless men and whores filled the place, carrying mugs of various liquor. Elizabeth stuck close to Will and Jack, even though Jack was the only guy who seemed to know what he was doing. Jack wove through the crowd and found an empty, if beer-stained, table.

Upon Jack´s request, Gibbs stayed with Annamaria and the rest of the crew, ruefully. Missing a night of Elizabeth AND RUM?! Seemed like a nightmare. But Gibbs followed Jack´s orders: "Stay with Annamaria all night- don´ want a first mate doin´ something. . . stupid."

"So," Jack said, once he sat down with his pint of rum. "Annamaria´s mother, the famed Captain Marcella-"

Elizabeth had a glass of muddy-looking water. She gasped and yelped, "Marcella Castilla? Queen of Cuba? Sort of?"

"Head of piracy in Cuba," said Jack, swigging his rum. "Bloody gorgeous too. Turns out Pintel and Ragetti- yer captors, Elizabeth- took´er in the night. Bound, gagged, everything. Took ´er ta Hispaniola, if I´m not mistaken. Funny thing is, if she´s so wily and everythin´, how come she didn´ manage ta get away?"

"Those two are quite convincing. But they wouldn´t hurt her- surely she called parley?" Elizabeth exclaimed, her eyes round as dinner plates. She hesitantly took a sip of her revolting water and promptly dropped the contents of the glass on the floor.

_My kinda woman_, Jack thought. He rearranged his mustache and drank some more rum. "Um, my sources were a bit- how d´you say?- hazy on the details. . . so yes, we´re goin´ to save Captain Marcella Castilla an´ murder Pintel and Ragetti, savvy?"

Will had been quietly nursing his gin, and looked up when Jack said this. "Murder?! No one said anything about murder."

"Piracy is all about avenging, mate," Jack informed him. "Those slimy knaves eluded us once and only once." More rum was poured down his throat.

_He´s so sexy when he´s being the hero_, Elizabeth thought. She touched Will´s hand. "Will stop being such a wet blanket. Jack knows what he´s doing."

_Damn straight_. "Elizabeth, will you kindly assist me in getting more rum?" Jack asked. "Will can think this over while we´re gone."

"All right," Elizabeth said. She left her glass and followed Jack. But instead of meeting up with Smithy, the barkeep, Jack led Elizabeth to another table. Gently, Jack placed his hands in Elizabeth´s. "What are you doing?" she asked, her heart starting to race.

"Elizabeth darling, yer simply too refined for piracy. Ya need ta lighten up an´ rely not so much on possessions an´. . . feelings. I have an idea for ye." He was close to her now. His nose was an inch from hers. She smelled rum on his breath but he wasnÕt drunk, yet anyway.

"What´s that, Captain?" Elizabeth asked, her eyes full of desire. She really wanted him to kiss her. 

"I´ll tell you while we´re in Tortuga," he teased. 

Elizabeth pouted. "But Captain. . . can we both wait that long?" She raised her eyebrows and decided to play the vamp. She´d had no chance before now.

"I´ll make it my business to." Jack leaned down till his lips were almost brushing hers. She felt his mustache. "Now, Elizabeth, we can´ go off gallivanting like we´re new at this pirate game. That would arouse some suspicion, now wouldn´t it?"

Elizabeth wanted to just smash her face against his. She wouldn´t look desperate, she WOULDN´T! But it was very hard. "It would, Captain."

"Then we have an accord." Jack backed away from her. But he took her hand, making her smile. They got their drinks (rum for Jack, more water for Elizabeth; Smithy made sure there were no visible particles floating in the water) and toasted each other.

"To Hispaniola," Elizabeth said. 

"To freedom," Jack cried.

"To the Black Pearl," Will added, and they all drank. 

Governor Weatherby Swann was worried. His dear Elizabeth had mysteriously disappeared, but leaving all her fancy dress behind. However, his best jacket and breeches were gone. A hastily scrawled note was on her pillow: 

**Father,  
Don´t worry about me. I´m meeting my destiny in Cuba. I´ll be back sooner than a year. Will and Captain Jack Sparrow will take care of me. Please do not send out the British Royal Navy this time. I want to be on the sea.   
Love, your daughter Elizabeth Swann**

CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW?! The governor´s blood was near boil. That scoundrel would be the death of him. If only that crazed woman hadn´t shot Norrington. She was promptly hanged, but even so.

Governor Swann fanned himself. Fine. Elizabeth never liked to follow his rules. He would let her have her little adventure, and then when she came home, bar her from that ridiculous pirate business and especially that Will Turner.

The governor found Elizabeth´s maid, Lily, lurking in the dining room, pretending to be dusting the coat of arms above the fireplace. She was the replacement for Estrella, the last maid, who escaped the pirates who were looking to catch Elizabeth. No one had ever heard from her again. Lily was a stupid girl, always finding ways to get out of tending to Elizabeth, leaving the work for someone else.

"Lily?" Governor Swann asked her, making her jump and hurriedly start swiping the feather duster around. "Yes, Guv´ner?" she shrieked, her shrill Cockney accent making him wince. 

"Lily, did Elizabeth mention leaving suddenly? Did she talk to you last night or any night, for that matter?" "Yes she did, Guv´ner. . . in fact she mentioned quite a lot." Lily was trembling, her face bright red. "She said that she was finally going to get away from Jamaica and have a real adventure without the Royal Navy searching for her. Then she accused me of eavesdropping and shooed me out, Guv´ner. That´s it, I swear!" She turned her back to him and started flicking the duster over the mantle.

"Thank you, Lily." Governor Swann went out and stepped outside. He looked at the sparkling blue sea and thought, _Elizabeth, what have you gotten yourself into?_


	3. Departure from Port Royal

Elizabeth was overjoyed. She woke at four AM and stole her father´s clothing and some of her petticoats and most of her jewelry. She stuffed it all into her carpet bag and swore her dumb little maid, Lily, to secrecy about where she was going. Wearing her nightgown and slippers, she slipped out the door and headed to the dock. It was still semi-dark and she kept thinking every shadow was a guard coming to capture her and place her under house arrest. So when Will came up and grabbed her from behind, she let out an ear-piercing scream and they both bolted.

"Dammit, Elizabeth! Calm down!" Will looked caring and sleepy in the dim light. He took her hand. "Let´s find Jack and Gibbs before anyone catches us."

Jack was snoozing underneath the boardwalk, his new hat tipped below his eyes, his back against a post. ELizabeth got the duty of waking him up. 

"Jack!" she whispered. "JACK!" She shook him and he leapt up and placed his dagger against her throat. She squeaked.

"Oh, Elizabeth! ´S only you! Sorry ´bout that. Will, you´re ´ere too! Wonderful. Let´s gather up the rest of the crew and we´ll set sail ´round noon." Jack freed Elizabeth but she lingered at his side. She hoped she didn´t look like a simpering idiot.

"All right," said Will. "Need supplies?"

"Got me rum," said Jack. "´S all I need. I think Annamaria got some rope and other necessities. . ." He trailed off, he didn´t actually know what she got. Elizabeth was looking at him, fawning really, and that´s all that mattered. Will looked nonplussed. 

"So, where would the other crew members be? Not on the Pearl?"

"Annamaria doesn´t believe in sleep," Jack muttered. "Prolly at the tavern or on a dock looking at the sea. And even now, I wouldn´t be much inclined to sleep if MY mum was captured by evil pirates. Cotton, Gibbs, and the rest are on the Pearl, of that I´m certain."

"Do you think Pintel and Ragetti would be dim enough to hold Marcella in Tortuga? That´s in Hispaniola, right?"

"Wait- not Cuba?" Elizabeth cut in. Her heart sank a little- she´d supplied her father with false information. Then she grinned brilliantly. This was incredibly bold of her and she loved it.

"Port-au-Prince, I´d think," Jack said, scratching his head. A few moths flew out of his dreadlocks. "Brilliant place for plundering, to be sure. . . naturally we´ll search the whole island. They can´t´ve gotten far. I heard this news two days ago."

"How´d they get off that ´godforsaken spit of land,´ I wonder?" Will said. He looked at the cloudy sky.

"They´re both bumbling fools- I haven´t a clue." Jack started traipsing toward the fort. "C´mon, m´dear Elizabeth, Will. . . we´ve got a ship to sail."

The next four hours consisted of loading supplies like barrels of rum, cannonballs, lengths of rope, and crates full of food onto the Black Pearl. Gibbs turned up with his eyes bloodshot and his clothes all muddy. He started picking up cannonballs one by one and stumbling on the dock, until Jack stopped him.

"You´re spectacularly drunk, mate, aren´t ya?" 

"Experiencing the aftermath, more like." Gibbs wiped his nose with his sleeve, leaving it all brown. He was embarrassed because he looked like he slept in a pigpen, something he was not unfamiliar to. _Dear Miss Elizabeth, I beg you. . . don´t look at me._ He slipped his hand inside his coat and fingered the canteen full of rum. Once he was in his chamber he would drink himself senseless. Annamaria and Gibbs had actually spent exactly half an hour with each other: Annamaria fell asleep due to a heavy dose of chamomile tea slipped into her beverage of choice (no one knew what it was, she refused to divulge the contents) and Gibbs went to the tavern long after Will, Elizabeth, and Jack had left, to his dismay. He consumed a lot of rum and then passed out in the road.

"Too bad." Jack ordered a few of the Pearl´s crew to start hoisting the sails, lifting the anchor. They still had quite a way´s to go, but they could still pray for an earlier departure from Port Royal. Jack turned back to Will, Elizabeth, and Gibbs, who were all looking at him like expectant puppies.

"C´mon, ´s all get our effects," Jack told them, gesturing to his belt, jacket, and new hat. "Elizabeth, will you accompany me for a tick? Bring your necessities, come now." They wandered over to the green and ducked when several guards ran past them. Mullroy and Murtogg, the local idiots in a position of power, were saying to each other as they jogged by, "Elizabeth Swann is going to come home today, mark my words."

"Oh no! Father must´ve taken my note as a way to escape his wrathful grip on my independence!" Elizabeth whispered to Jack.

"It wasn´t? Anyhow, m´dear Elizabeth, did you take my advice seriously? You ARE carrying one bag. You should only have the clothes on yer back!" _And several rips in your bodice. NO! Shut up, shut up._

Elizabeth meekly opened the bag and started dressing, though the morning humidity made it harder than it already was. "Jack, you must admit I was a good pirate last year. I´ve matured a bit, you know."

"You have," Jack agreed. Elizabeth looked at him and shook her head. That man got more daft everyday. She loved it. 

Donned in several jackets and petticoats and a bag full of jewelry, Elizabeth felt heavy and unattractive. "Jack, I´m feeling sick. Can´t I please bring one bag? I swear, it´s only to carry these clothes. They´re stolen," she added as an afterthought.

"Atta girl," Jack hooted and they made their way back to Will and Gibbs. 

Annamaria was a wreck. Smoking a cigar, eating in general, even drinking her special drink reminded her of her mother. She´d woken up crying out, "Marcella! Mama!" and that bastard Gibbs hadn´t kept his promise to Jack by leaving her when she fell into her drug-induced slumber to get wasted at the Barnacle. Luckily he´d gotten his and ended up passing out face down in the dirt. Annamaria smiled sadistically. The idiot would learn his lesson: he and alcohol never mixed.

Dressed in a loose-fitting muslin shirt, breeches, and her favorite pair of muddied, softened boots, Annamaria strolled down the dock after taking an early morning swim. She heard JackÕs garbled speech and thought it something serious. She tried not to cry. Mama couldnÕt be dead- Annamaria knew Pintel and Ragetti to be foolish and always fighting, though they made a lovely couple- but who knows what kind of torture they were applying to her? Marcella had abandoned Annamaria at fifteen but sheÕd left a letter and several hundred doubloons (probably stolen): 

** My dear Annamaria,  
I have to leave you. The sea is my love and I cannot be tied down to your father. Please forgive me. We will meet again and sail under the same captain once more. Your father will give you this when you are ready.  
Marcella Castilla**

Annamaria had grown to be bitter and a hard nut to crack, except in the case of love. She´d fallen for several pirates who had then left her with nothing but memories. Jack was probably the only lover who stuck around and talked to her after their romance was over. But she saw hope in Will. It wasn´t just plain lust; she´d grown to be accustomed to his presence last year and she appreciated what a fine man he truly was: doing anything to find his love, he was strong, keen, and while inexperienced in the pirate area, he learned quickly.

She smiled again; a true smile that met the odd group that met her: Captain Jack Sparrow, blacksmith Will Turner, spoiled child Elizabeth Swann, and. . . Joshamee Gibbs. She frowned once she met eyes with Gibbs. "Dammit, Gibbs, you scalawag, you knew better than to leave me alone when I was in my misery! I could´ve jumped off the Pearl and you never would´ve known until I bobbed up, dead as Barbossa." Jack, Elizabeth, and Will laughed; Gibbs looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, Anna," Gibbs mumbled and raked his dirt-caked hands through his gray hair. He´d lusted after HER as well when the thought of Elizabeth was too much to bear. There were so few women who would accept a shag from Joshamee Gibbs, but he could fantasize about them all. "You were asleep, and my canteen was empty."

Annamaria remained stony-faced while the others laughed. Will looked at Annamaria´s sour face and imagined her smiling. It was sort of hard, but the product was lovely. Will immediately felt guilty and grabbed Elizabeth´s hand. 

"Darling, it´s almost time to go. Are you sure you´ll be all right on this trip? You can turn back now." Elizabeth was outraged. "Will, I know of the consequences and I am fully prepared to have the time of my life." She jutted out her chin.

"That´s the spirit!" hurrahed Jack and they all got into a rowboat and rowed to the Pearl. Elizabeth closed her eyes and thought, _I never thought I could be this happy._


	4. The Seductions

On the Black Pearl, Jack started barking out orders: "Hoist the sails, lift the anchor, c´mon ya smelly, hairy curs! We don´t ´ave all day! All hands on deck!"

Cotton appeared by Elizabeth´s side and his parrot squawked, "As straight as the crow flies!"

"Aah!" Elizabeth screamed in spite of herself. She was sure what the parrot had "meant" was that something bad was happening.

Gibbs yelled at Elizabeth, "Miss Elizabeth, don´t be afraid! Cotton means that the weather is going to be rough.Ó He gestured toward the gathering clouds.

Elizabeth sighed. "IÕm going below deck." She took her carpet bag and looked at Will, who was being showed by Annamaria how to steer. She grinned to herself and to her horror, Gibbs ran up to her. 

"Elizabeth, I´ll show ye to yer quarters."

"Oh no, Mr. Gibbs, that´s quite all right," Elizabeth told him quickly.

_Damn tease_, Gibbs thought. _I´ll use my charms to seduce her_. "Miss Elizabeth, it´s no use trying to shake me off. I´ll show you to your room, it´s no trouble, none at all."

_Shit_, Elizabeth thought, and then shook her head. Had that come from HER brain? Preposterous. She allowed Gibbs to guide her down the rickety, narrow wooden steps. 

"Here it is," Gibbs said huskily. He waved a hand, indicating the small room with a mattress, table, chair, and several candles.

Elizabeth was distressed. Such small living quarters! "I didn´t think it would be so. . . cozy. . ."

"Aye, it´s not what you´re used to. But the best chambers are reserved for the captain and first mates, and since you happen to be a newcomer, ye an´ Will are the least ranked. Though if I were captain I certainly wouldn´t leave you alone." When Gibbs said this there was an odd glimmer in his eyes.

Elizabeth laughed uneasily and knew she was going to have to get out of her room fast. "Mr. Gibbs, I´m going to show Will this room- it´s small but absolutely marvelous!" She stampeded up the stairs and knocked Jack over. She scrambled up and helped Jack to his feet. 

"Good Lord," Jack said, "Elizabeth, seriously, watch where ya going!" He shook his head and more moths flew out. His coins and beads clinked.

"Sorry," Elizabeth breathed. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, suddenly overcome by the weight of her coats and general warmth of Jamaican air. It didn´t help that Jack was standing in front of her.

"Elizabeth!" Jack cried. He caught her and she popped her eyes open again. "C´mon, let´s get these clothes off of ya." He led her to the captain´s cabin.

"Jack," said Elizabeth, very drowsily, "you think I´m inexperienced, don´t you?"

"No," Jack lied. "I´ve bin these seas many years an´ I´ve seen worse pirates ´n you." He led her into his comfy quarters and sat her down on his bed. _I´m sitting in my bed with Elizabeth_, he thought giddily.

Elizabeth was regaining her senses. She slipped off the coats. "Jack, we´re in bed together." _In bed with Jack Sparrow like so many other girls_, she thought somewhat grumpily.

"We are. Let´s get this dress off of ya." Jack was ready.

Elizabeth was too. "Jack, kiss me." They looked at each other and lunged. Kissing hungrily, their tongues met for the first time. Elizabeth undid the snaps and buttons of her dress, leaving just her petticoat.

Jack, with one leathered hand, pulled Elizabeth so he was on top of her. As they discovered each other with their mouths, they didn´t know Annamaria and Will were in Annamaria´s room doing the exact same thing.

As they reemerged with their rumpled clothes, Jack and Elizabeth saw Annamaria guiding the Pearl with shaky hands.

_I just kissed Will Turner_, she kept thinking. _Will may not have agreed until I threw him onto me._ She smirked to herself and looked up to see Jack and Elizabeth, staring at her. _Oh my God! What is this, a love boat? If they didn´t just do the same thing Will and I just did I´ll eat my favorite boots._

In his room, Will was a smoking a cigar and making smoke rings. He was dressed in only a pair of breeches, displaying his defined, glistening muscles. _Elizabeth, forgive me. Annamaria was just showing me how to commandeer a ship and then she got me somehow into my bed._ He smiled. _She´s certainly a good kisser. Oh no! Elizabeth!_ Then he buried his face in a pillow. _What have I done? What will she think?! She´ll murder me! Lost forever to Davey Jones´ locker. Annamaria, that strumpet!_

Jack was eating fish and a roll in the mess hall. The rest of the male pirates except Will were eating noisily. Will was not in sight.

"He´s known to be reclusive," Jack said to himself. 

"What´s ´at?" Gibbs said. "You say anything Jacky?"

"No. Hey, Gibbs, what were ya doin´ with Elizabeth below deck?" Jack asked, his mouth full of buttered roll. Crumbs spewed from his mouth.

_Less´n than what I´d´ve liked_, Gibbs thought with a scowl. "Showing the lass ´er room."

"You didn´t do anything else, mate, right?" Jack asked. "She seemed quite frightened."

"I didn´t do nothing!" Gibbs practically yelled and stomped away, leaving the rest of the crew quite confused. 

Elizabeth and Annamaria ate in Annamaria´s room with their fish, rolls, and wine. Annamaria´s room smelled sweaty. . . almost exactly what Jack´s room smelled, after Elizabeth and Jack had kissed a lot, Elizabeth realized. She looked up in horror at Annamaria, calmly chewing her fish.

"You and Jack kissed each other, didn´t you?" Elizabeth cried, wincing. She felt dirty and used. That bastard!

Annamaria´s hand shot out and grabbed Elizabeth´s throat. "Jack and I haven´t done ANYTHING," she snarled. "Now, YOU and Jack, thatÕs another story!"

Elizabeth gasped. "How did you know?!"

"Honey, I just know." Annamaria released Elizabeth from her grip.

"Then who did you kiss. . . for a long time?" cried Elizabeth. She squinched her nose up again.

"I don´t think that´s any of your business," sniffed Annamaria, swilling her drink.

"Was it Gibbs?" Elizabeth visibly shuddered.

"Oh, God, no!"

And Elizabeth went down the list of the Black Pearl´s crew and Annamaria denied all of them until Elizabeth got to Will.

"W- Will?" stammered Elizabeth. When Annamaria bit her lip and turned away, Elizabeth let out a yowl. "You cheated on him," Annamaria pointed out.

She was right. Elizabeth felt even worse. "I have to tell him!" she declared. She got up from the table and turned to look at Annamaria. "I forgive you." Then she ran off.

Annamaria growled to herself. How could she tell Will that she was just using passion as a way to venting her frustration and hurt? But now that she thought of it, Will was quite a catch. She sat back in her seat and grinned again. 

Elizabeth clattered down the stairs to WillÕs room. She found him face down on his mattress. She knocked on his doorjamb. He looked up and jumped. "Oh my God, Elizabeth-"

"It´s all right," she whispered. "I know everything."

Will looked terrified. "I´m so sorry, Elizabeth."

"It´s all right," Elizabeth repeated. She looked down at her hands and wrung them. "While you were with Annamaria, I was with Jack."

WillÕs eyes were ablaze. "I´ll kill him."

"NO! I. . . wanted to." Elizabeth looked up apologetically. 

Will fell back onto his bed and smashed the nearest pillow and brought his hands to his face. "Leave, Elizabeth," he half-growled, half-sobbed.

Elizabeth´s eyes were threatening to spill over. "I can´t do this, Will!" she cried and she ran out to the bow. She considered flinging herself off but a rough hand grabbed her wrist. 

"Don´ wanna be doin´ that," slurred Jack. "Who´s goin´ ta keep me warm at night?"

"I can´t do this!" repeated Elizabeth. "I just can´t!" She tore her wrist away and ran down to her room.

Jack was too drunk to think straight but he yelled at the crew to start setting up to sail through the night. They complied and Annamaria, wearing her fancy, if tattered, hat and a heavy jacket, sidled up to Jack and said, "Tortuga?"

Jack responded, "Tortuga." 


	5. Tortuga and New Crew Members

It was midnight. The seas thrashed and the rain poured on them like icing on a cake. Jack, smiling like a corpse, directed the Pearl through the storm. Will and Gibbs helped each other by trying to hurl the excess water off the deck. Everyone else called their place on the better jobs.

Huddled in her bed, Elizabeth would´ve liked nothing better than to do ANYTHING up on the deck. But here she was, avoiding the men she loved. She felt like crying. She wished Annamaria would go down to her room and stroke her hair and make her feel better. But she didn´t. Elizabeth pulled her blanket closer to her and thought, _What have I gotten myself into? _ She fell asleep as Will valiantly rescued the shortest member of their crew from flopping overboard. He didn´t tell anyone, but the water pouring down his face wasn´t just rain. 

At dawn, Annamaria and Jack were swabbing the deck, as everyone had fallen asleep. They decided to play a drinking game make the job more fun.

"How´s about you, Anna, whenever ya find a fishy-wish that´s either dead or alive, you have to take a drink. Whenever I wring out my mop, I take a drink," suggested Jack, his kohl-smeared eyes bloodshot and threatening to close and never open again. He belched.

"Jack, that´s the dumbest thing I´ve ever heard of." Annamaria tried to suppress a yawn. She hadn´t slept in almost a day. She acted tough but she longed to curl up in her bed and sleep until they reached Tortuga. She smirked, though. "I´ll take you up on it."

They took off up and down, and Annamaria didn´t find any fish but gave Jack all the more reason to get even drunker. "Why don´t we have it that you take a drink whenever you mop at the deck?"

"Ace idea, dear Anna," Jack replied. Then he looked out at the coast. "Mother of pearl! ´Ere ´s Tortuga!" He peered at the coastal town; it looked oddly normal in the daylight. He´d only been in Tortuga at night.

"Aye," Annamaria exclaimed, not sure how to respond to that. "Shall I take her in, Captain?"

"Brilliant," Jack answered. 

Tortuga was unnaturally calm. Jack strode onto one of its docks and paid the drunken harbormaster for anchoring the Pearl in the bay. Annamaria was instructed to never leave Elizabeth´s side; God forbid she finds the seedy, yet seductive, nightlife that Tortuga was famous for.

As he lazed down the main dirt road, he spotted his old friend Mick with a heavily made up woman he assumed was a whore standing outside one of the sixteen taverns the main road advertised.

"Mick!" Jack called out.

Mick turned, brandished a dagger, then smiled. "Captain Jack Sparrow!" Mick was a wiry, scruffy man with grizzled gray-brown shaggy hair and a frizzled beard. He wore a simple, unbuttoned shirt and breeches. His woman had a red dress on with fancy shoes. Mick ambled over and grasped Jack in a manly hug. "What brings ya to Tortuga?"

"Do I need a reason?" grinned Jack. He nodded at the presumed whore. She smiled, showing off semi-rotted teeth. Apart from that she was quite fit-looking. The breasts! The hair! The creamy light brown skin! Jack thought of Elizabeth just then and felt slightly guilty.

"Aye, true enough." Mick put his hands on his girl´s waist. "Layla, this is Captain Jack Sparrow. Jack, Layla. My wife."

Layla shyly curtsied at Jack, who kissed her hand. "_Enchante, mademoiselle._" Layla giggled and said something to Mick. _She´s French_, Jack realized. _A slave stowaway on a ship to freedom only to land in the clutches of a horny overseas merchant, maybe. Quite smashing though._ He tried out all the French he knew. "_Comment ca va? Uh. . . la mere de mon amie Annamaria est_. . . missing."

Layla laughed again and looked to Mick to translate. When he did, Layla slowly advanced to Jack´s side. He felt a familiar tightening in his trousers. "_Peut-etre nous_. . ." she breathed in his ear, then she looked at Mick again.

"Could help," finished Mick.

"Could help," echoed Layla. She cleared her throat and said in a hysterical French accent, "We can sail with you." She went back to Mick.

"What´s your mission? To find her?" Mick said, nipping at Layla´s neck.

"And murder her captors," added Jack. 

"Remarkable! Just th´ thing I do ta get me kicks. But really, I´ll gladly join ye, mate," Mick told Jack.

"Delightful!" Jack exulted. "The Pearl´s anchored at the dock." He clapped Mick on the back. "Get yer effects and go aboard as soon as possible, savvy?"

"Layla don´ need nothing much, we´ll be there soon enough," Mick said."

Layla smiled benignly. Jack grinned at her and said, "Ta for now." and went off to alert the Black Pearl´s crew. 

Annamaria was sleeping in Elizabeth´s bed when Jack found her. Elizabeth was snoozing lightly as well. Jack gingerly tapped Annamaria. She grunted and then popped her eyes open. "Jack!" She thought dimly, _What the hell does he want me to do now?_

She looks rather sexy right now, Jack observed. Elizabeth, next to Annamaria, rolled over and revealed her shift bunched up around her waist. Luckily (or unluckily depending on who you were), her blanket covered any "naughty" parts. "Uh. . . ´s see, um, yes, well I caught up with an old mate, Mick, and apparently his wife or girl Layla speaks French- useful in Hispaniola, where the natives speak Spanish and French."

"I speak some French," Elizabeth murmured sleepily. Both Annamaria and Jack jumped. 

"You do?" Annamaria said incredulously. 

"_Oui_," replied Elizabeth.

"Superb," Jack said. "An´ they´re comin´ aboard!"

"Did you tell them about murdering Ragetti and Pintel?" Elizabeth inquired. Jack itched his nose. "Think so. Can´t remember."

Annamaria nearly throttled Jack. "Y´know, ´s sorta a vital part of the mission!"

"Well once they board we´ll tell ´em!" Jack said. He tipsily saluted the women and swayed up the stairs.

Elizabeth got into a pair of breeches and a muslin shirt. All her father´s, so they were ill-fitting, ergo not constricting.

Annamaria politely went down to the mess hall for breakfast, where heaps of porridge and hardtack were being consumed by hungry, sloppy pirates. Annamaria scooped a spoonful of porridge in her mouth with a bite of a cracker. She felt the need to prove herself as one of the lads but wasn´t about to pour perfectly good food down her shirt. 


	6. Confrontation

Jack took his mush into his chambers where Elizabeth had snuck into. From the shadows, she emerged and said quietly, "Jack, we need to talk."

"Holy Bejeezus!" Jack shouted, dropping his bowl. Elizabeth stood to face him and carefully tilted her head and leaned to kiss him. It was a gentle, soft kiss, unlike the passionate ones they had just yesterday. When it ended, Elizabeth sat on his bed and said, again quietly, "I love you, Jack, I honestly love you."

Jack stood there, dumbfounded. How could she love him? He was a bloody pirate! He managed to sputter out, "M´dear, I- I- love you too."

Elizabeth nearly cried. She didn´t think Captain Jack Sparrow could be capable of loving someone or something besides the Black Pearl. She stood up, wrapped her arms around Jack, and slipped her lips onto his, as Will watched in horror. 

Will stomped down to the mess hall and found Annamaria calmly slurping the disgusting breakfast. He whipped out his sword at her. "Jack and Elizabeth- they´re kissing! They just said ´I love you´ to each other!"

"I wonder why," Annamaria said sarcastically.

"You knew about this?" Will put his sword away as all the pirates had stopped gobbling their food and and were looking at the irate blacksmith-turned-pirate.

"Yes." Annamaria ate another spoonful of mush. "C´mon, Will, you´re just as to blame."

Will´s temper flared. "If I´m not mistaken you´re the one who kissed me first."

"You liked it, didn´t you?"

_Why the hell was Annamaria always so bloody right?_ Will thought. "Shut up."

"Suit yourself." Annamaria continued eating her mush. "Now, go away as a kick in the nether regions often offends."

Will grumbled to himself as he stalked off. Annamaria, watching his bottom, finished her breakfast and skulked after him. 

Desperately clinging to each other, Jack ripped off Elizabeth´s shirt, freeing her ample breasts. Jack stared at them like he did when he was stabbed by Barbossa, then grabbed her and kissed her neck.

Elizabeth was caught up in the moment, and clawed at Jack´s back. They sank onto Jack´s bed, kissing hungrily.

Will, too determined and too brash, ran up to Jack´s quarters as Elizabeth was wriggling Jack out of his shirt. He stopped short and gaped as Elizabeth pulled JackÕs blanket over her breasts. Jack, still quite inebriated, looked up blearily and widened his smeary eyes. "Will! Always a pleasure."

For the second time that morning, Will drew his sword. "I´ll kill you!"

"Put the sword away, Will," Jack said calmly. "Elizabeth and I were just. . . er-"

"Having some fun," supplied Elizabeth, slowly slipping her ripped shirt on. All the buttons had snapped off so she pinched the sides together.

Will was beyond angry. He lunged at Jack who easily threw him onto his bed and knocked the wind out of him. Elizabeth scrambled away from Will, clutching her shirt. But Will snatched what remained of her shirt and she caught herself and crossed her arms. Jack gave her his coat.

"Now, Will," Jack said, "since you´re incapacitated, I´ll make ´is brief. You can´t keep sneaking around like a knave. . . Annamaria has taken a shine to ya."

From beside the doorjamb, Annamaria sucked in her breath.

Will regained his composure. "Elizabeth, is there where your heart belongs?" he asked softly, sounding like Norrington.

Elizabeth gulped. Why, oh why, did she get herself into this mess? She decided to say, "I can´t answer that, Will!" She truly loved both Jack and Will but Will was so much more cautious and uptight. Comparing Will to Jack made Will look like Norrington.

Will gave a horrible look to Elizabeth as his eyes spilled over. "Say no more, Elizabeth!" He ran out and slammed the door. He went to his room and cried his eyes out.

Elizabeth looked fleetingly at Jack and made for the door. As she went through the door Jack slurred, "Ma jacket, if ya please."

Elizabeth threw the coat at him, gathered her ripped shirt around her chest, and left. Jack passed out a few minutes later.

Annamaria jumped out at Elizabeth. "I heard everything."

Elizabeth squealed. "Oh, my God," she cried.

"Seriously, tell Will everything. And I admit I am partly to blame," Annamaria said.

Elizabeth forced a smile. "Yes, well, thank you for ruining PART of our lives." She went down to her room to find a strange couple standing near her bed; a man with scruffy, awful hair not unlike all of the male pirates and a woman who was strikingly beautiful.

"_Bonjour_," Elizabeth greeted them, suddenly remembering the French-speaking people Jack had informed her about.

"´Allo, missy. I´m Mick Carothers and this is my wife Layla."

"_Bonjour_," Layla said.

"My name is Elizabeth Swann," said Elizabeth. Mick kissed her hand and Layla shyly curtsied. "When did you arrive?"

"Ten minutes I suppose," Mick said, "Heard yelling comin´ from Jack´s cabin, didn´ wanna interrupt."

Elizabeth realized she had her shirt wrapped around her middle still, so she quickly said, "Spare rooms are down to your left."

"We´ll be needing only th´ one," Mick said, and led Layla out. As he passed Elizabeth, his eyes drifted to her chest and smirked.

Elizabeth sighed. _That´s it, it´ll be two layers of shifts from now on._

As night fell, Governor Swann in Port Royal looked back on the last few days. He respected his daughter´s wish with not sending the Navy out to rescue her. But he did send several guards to search the docks in case Elizabeth was hiding there. Unfortunately, the Black Pearl had made berth in Tortuga by the time they were done. Governor Swann rued the day they were drafted.

The governor spent the last three days drifting along the beach and drinking wine. His life had little meaning since Elizabeth sailed off. That night he trudged along the fort wall. Several guards tipped their hats and snapped up from dozing.

The Governor slogged up the stairs to the fort´s bell tower. He looked to the west and saw the sun sinking into the sea. It was quite inspiring but Governor Swann felt nothing but hopelessness and helplessness. He made his way over to the edge of the fort and leaned over the railing to see the cold blue sea dotted with ominous-looking rocks. Weatherby Swann was overcome with despair and before he knew what he was doing, he pitched forward and fell into the ocean. 


	7. The Assault

Meanwhile, as Cotton and the other pirates made use of Tortuga´s famous ladies of the night, Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Annamaria, Mick, Layla, and Gibbs went to the Rusty Buckle, another tavern. Elizabeth kept a careful distance from Will and conversed with the couple. Jack, Elizabeth, Annamaria, and sat at one table while Mick, Layla, Gibbs, and Will sat at another. Elizabeth, feeling bold, ordered a rum with some lemons. It may´ve been vile a year ago but opinions can change!

Jack got a large magnum of rum "to share," but both women knew all of it would end up in his stomach. Annamaria had a flask of her special drink.

"So, what´s the plan of attack when we arrive in Port-au-Prince?" Annamaria said in what she thought was a low voice. The usual brawl was occurring and while Annamaria thought she was whispering, she was really shouting. 

"What?" said Jack and emptied a third of his rum bottle. He burped.

"When we arrive in Port-au-Prince, what do we do?" yelled Annamaria.

"Aye, when we get there, we´ll search the city up an´ down."

"What if Marcella- Captain Marcella isn´t there?" cried Elizabeth.

"Then we´ll search the entire Caribbean!" Jack bellowed, sneaking a look at Annamaria, who looked proud. She chugged her drink and shouted to Gibbs, "Gibbs, avast! Y´know, Gibbs, you an´ rum ain´t a remarkable match!"

At this, Gibbs put down his mug of rum and glowered into it.

"Is she. . . drunk?!" Elizabeth asked Jack, more than a hint of disgust in her voice. She thought she knew Annamaria to be a responsible lady, albeit a pirate who snuck around and kissed lovers.

"Annamaria would never get drunk, would ya, Anna?" Jack cried, slapping Annamaria on the back.

"Aye," Annamaria replied. She smirked at Gibbs. "Gibbs, you rotten scoundrel, put the rum down! We don´t want you sleeping amongst the pigs again, do we?"

"Chickens, it´ll be," Will said gloomily, making the two tables explode with laughter. Everyone knew about the story of Will waking up from unconsciousness amidst chickens.

"Rum girl! Need more rum!" yelled Jack to the waitress, who was dressed in a fluffy black skirt and tight bodice. She gave a slight nod and returned with a tankard of rum for the two tables.

Mick grinned at Jack, whose teeth were beyond any repair. They were quite mossy and brown and green at the same time. Elizabeth looked away. 

"So, Jacky, ´s the deal with me an´ Layla helping ye and yer crew searching for this strumpet´s mum?" Mick said.

Annamaria said through gritted teeth, "Don´t call me that."

"Apologies, missy," Mick said, raising his stein to her. "So Jacky, same question."

Jack sighed. "I speak a little French but now we have two fluent speakers, savvy? This´l be all the more easier. Eh, Layla?"

Layla looked up from her glass of gin, which was what Will was drinking too. "_Oui_, Jack Sparrow!" she giggled, and hiccuped. 

Will felt himself perk up a little. Especially little Will.

Gibbs was already raring to go so he placed a hand onto his lap as he said, "Liz, do you care to come with me? Need more rum." He really didn´t, he was actually quite drunk, and Annamaria would give him hell later, but he needed Elizabeth´s beautiful, succulent body.

Elizabeth struggled not to gag and said, "Certainly, Mr. Gibbs." _Don´t call me Liz, no one calls me Liz_.

"Dear Miss Elizabeth," said Gibbs once they were out and in the back of the Rusty Buckle. It was quiet, almost eerie.

"Yes, Mr. Gibbs?" Elizabeth said. She really felt the need to throw up.

"Call me Joshamee," Gibbs said huskily. And before Elizabeth could do anything, he pulled Elizabeth and kissed her ferociously. So maniacally, in fact, Elizabeth yelped a little. His breath reeked of alcohol and his wormy tongue delved deep into her mouth and his arms were wrapped around her torso, her breasts pressed painfully on Gibbs´ own chest. Noticing this, Elizabeth struggled to get away, but Gibbs had her in a viselike grip. He snarled in her ear, "Missy, ye ain´t getting away" and plunged his hands deep down her slip. She gasped again- he was touching her breasts, grabbing them- he was twisting her nipples, pinching- and sucking on her neck. Tears of pain rolled down her cheeks as Gibbs moved to her private skin. No one had ever been down there! What was he doing?!

"NO!" screamed Elizabeth and dug her nails into his neck. Gibbs howled and ripped his hands out of her shifts. Free, Elizabeth stared at Gibbs in horror and then ran back into the bar. A silence had fallen over the Buckle as Elizabeth, bloody and torn and bruised, shakily stepped inside. Granted, no one paid attention to her but it seemed unnaturally quiet. Elizabeth calmly went back to the two tables and said, "I´m going to have an early night." She said this in dim lighting so no one could see her ripped bodice and forming bruises.

"Where´s Gibbs?" ventured Will.

Elizabeth started to sob. Without answering, she turned on her heel and sprinted out of the tavern, down the main road, back to the docks. The Black Pearl winked at her in the bay. Elizabeth quickly rowed to the Pearl, and there, she flung herself into Jack´s quarters where she stripped naked and hid herself in his blanket. She wanted to forget. From Jack´s window, a moonbeam illuminated a teardrop on her cheek. 

She woke up in her own bed. Only she was wearing the second layer of her two shifts, the one that wasn´t so drastically ripped. Though she was quite hungry, she didn´t go down to the mess hall. Gibbs would be there. Horrible bastard. Elizabeth winced.

A knock on her door. Elizabeth jumped. "May I come in?" It was Layla.

"Yes," said Elizabeth wearily. Layla, dressed in a heavy, ostentatious velvet dress that Elizabeth was not unfamiliar to, came in carrying a tray of more porridge and a flask of rum. "_Sparrow pense tu aimes ta lit_," Layla said slowly. "_Et rhum_."

"_Oui_," Elizabeth said, feeling foolish. She allowed Layla to give her her tray.

"_Salut_," breathed Layla and backed away. She closed the door on her way out. 

Gibbs had smoked ten cigars and emptied his canteen a grand total of seven times. He was passed out cold as dawn drew near, so he could forget what he did. 

He didn´t know what came over him. After the blood dripping down his neck had dried and he was sure his friends had left, he came out of his hiding place, and proceeded to quench his thirst for alcohol three times over. He staggered back to the docks and drunkenly rowed back to the Black Pearl. In the wee hours of the morning, he drank some more and smoked until his head was swimming. Before he slipped into unconsciousness, he thought dimly, _Elizabeth, forgive me_. 


	8. Will's Homicidal Morning

**Author's Note: OK, I realize that last chapter was decidedly dark- but it was crucial to the story, I think at least. Here's the aftermath, byby!**

~*~

Will and Jack were talking in Jack´s quarters as Elizabeth ate her breakfast alone. 

"What d´you think he did, Will?" asked Jack in a low voice.

Will turned away, tears spilling down his cheeks. He used to be a stoic man, but ever since he and Elizabeth had been together he was all too happy to show his emotions. Maybe he was a eunuch after all.

"No!" Jack said, as Will buried his face in his hands. "Gibbs. . . not Joshamee Gibbs."

"Then something like it!" Will exclaimed. Then he balled his fists and screamed, "I´ll kill him!"

"Will! No!" Jack cried as Will burst out of Jack´s room and hurled himself down to the mess hall. Jack followed him, drawing his dagger.

"Where´s Gibbs," snarled Will, his big brown eyes filled with pure animosity, ready to spill blood.

The pirates gaped at him. "Not here," one called out.

Annamaria got up from her table and joined Jack in stalking Will as he stomped to Gibbs´ quarters. They watched as Will slammed through the door and grabbed Gibbs´ throat. "YOU BASTARD! I´LL KILL YOU! I´LL MURDER YOU!"

Gibbs´ eyes popped open and lolled back. He gagged and thrashed and clawed at Will´s throttling hands. "Stop- stop!"

Annamaria leaped onto Will and tore him off Gibbs. "Will! Avast! Oh dear God-" She was backhanded by Will and fell to the floor. She scrambled back up as Jack tackled Will and Gibbs rolled out of his bed and tried to escape. But Annamaria slapped him on the head and yelled, "You scabrous cur, I´ll have yer head on a platter if ya don´t explain yerself!"

Gibbs´ head was throbbing. He lay obediently on the floor as Jack restrained Will and Annamaria placed a foot on Gibbs´ chest. "Spill all, or we´ll spill all your blood!" she said menacingly.

"I was drunk, an´ I just had to touch her- and suddenly I was a beast! Nothing but a common beast, doin´ improper things to ´er! Me hands- me hands!" Gibbs stared at them, as they were stained with his own blood at the fingertips. Mixed with the general dirt underneath his nails, it was especially disgusting. He brought his hands to his heart and started to weep loudly and annoyingly. Annamaria sighed.

"Would you have raped her?"

Gibbs stared straight up. "I think so." He went rigid and then closed his eyes. His mouth went slack. 

"Unconscious," said Annamaria angrily. "All this time I thought he was a harmless souse-"

"Like me," Jack broke in.

"But instead," Annamaria continued, casting a steely glare at Jack, "he turned out to be an abusive monster!"

Will went limp in Jack´s arms. "Fainted," clarified Jack. 

They dragged Gibbs to his chamber, and then Will to his. Annamaria said, "What if Will wakes up with an intention to kill?"

"Then we´ll just have ta take that chance, m´dear," Jack said.

"Shall we pay Elizabeth a visit?" said Annamaria quietly.

"I s´pose," Jack said. "Who else will? Besides Mick an´ Layla. Where are they anyway?"

"In their room doing who-knows-what," Annamaria said dryly. So they went to Elizabeth´s room, where Elizabeth was dozing. Annamaria knocked and a frightened voice squeaked, "Come in!"

Annamaria and Jack strode inside and Elizabeth, knees to her chin, was huddled on her mattress.

"Elizabeth?" whispered Jack. She jumped and sighed. 

"Oh Jack, it´s only you. Annamaria, you too. Thank you."

"Yes well," she grumbled. She sat down on Elizabeth´s bed and added quietly, "We spoke with Gibbs. Will nearly killed him."

Elizabeth sat up. "Oh my lord! What happened?"

"Well, I guess Will deduced what had happened for himself and started strangling Gibbs! Luckily Jack and I jumped on Will and Gibbs, and I questioned Gibbs."

Elizabeth pressed her hands to her eyes. Flashback to last night: sloppy kisses, hands down and in her shift. Screams, tears, and blood. Elizabeth started hyperventilating.

"Calm her down!" roared Jack, rushing over and he lay Elizabeth on her back. "Breathe, darling," he whispered. 

Elizabeth wrenched her eyes open and exhaled a gust of breath. "Jack."

"I´ll go alert the crew to start combing Tortuga for me mum," Annamaria said, knowing she wasn´t needed. She left.

"Jack," said Elizabeth, reaching up and grabbing his shoulders. Passion overcame the dirty feeling she was experiencing.

_Hey hey hey_, Jack thought and leaned down, his lips brushing hers.

Flash. Jerked neck, foul tongue shoved down her throat, squished and wet. Elizabeth pushed him away. "Bring Gibbs to me," she gasped, her eyes glassy.

Jack bowed to her and went to Gibbs´ room. Fortunately, Will wasn´t standing over him, his sword plunged deep into Gibbs´ gut. He was laying on his bed, his eyes half-closed. Jack tapped him.

"Aye, Jack," Gibbs said. "I´m a terrible man." (He was in bad enough condition to not go into his usual spiel of saying what bad luck it was to wake up a man when he was sleeping.)

"Elizabeth wants ta talk to ye, mate," Jack said, silently concurring.

Gibbs sat up. "If ye be lying I´ll mutiny, by God."

"Easy there, mate." Jack held up his leathery, kohl-smeared, ring-adorned hands. "C´mon, please tell me you didn´ have anything ta drink."

"I didn´, giving up the stuff," Gibbs declared. "All by me onesies."

"Cheers, Gibbs." Jack led him to Elizabeth´s room.

Elizabeth looked at Gibbs, horrified. A roaring was in her ears, she immediately shielded herself. Gibbs backed away and said, "Miss Swann, I´m so sorry."

"Why?" Elizabeth squeaked, her face shiny with tears. "Why did you do it?" She made a little barricade out of her blanket and pillow and backed into her corner.

"Miss Swann, I was drunk. . . spectacularly drunk. And you were there- and it´s no surprise that I´m aroused by you."

"Ugh!" Elizabeth felt physically ill. "Mr. Gibbs, how could you?"

"I deserved that," Gibbs murmured to himself. Jack grinned in spite of himself.

"But- why did you assault me? You´re a monster!" Elizabeth´s voice rose to a shriek. "The pirates´ code, Mr. Gibbs! You could be shot!"

Gibbs bowed his head. Jack said, "To be honest, dear Elizabeth, he didn´ actually rape ya."

"Ugh!" repeated Elizabeth. "Even so, Jack!" She felt disgusting, and that didn´t have to do with not bathing for a week. She felt used, and again, the memories came rushing back.

"All I can say, Miss, is that I am givin´ up the rum. . . and that I am deeply sorry. . ." Gibbs fell to his knees and clasped his hands dramatically, crying out, "Miss Swann!"

"That´s all for now," said Elizabeth coolly. "Go!" she yelled Gibbs remained on the floor.

"Yes, Miss Swann," he said and crawled out.

"Don´ wanna be doin´ that," said Jack. "Will could be awake!"

A roar emanated from the deck above them. They all heard Annamaria´s shriek and Will barreling down the stairs. "Get back!" Elizabeth hissed and Gibbs slammed the door shut. Pounding soon followed.

Elizabeth called, "Will is that you?"

The pounding stopped. "Elizabeth?"

"When Jack slams the door open, step into the space between the wall and the door!" Elizabeth hissed quickly and then called, "Come in."

Gibbs was concealed, as planned. Will walked in and immediately ran to Elizabeth´s side. "Oh Elizabeth, are you all right?!"

"Yes, yes, but still quite shaken. Gibbs, the monster," Elizabeth said, holding a hand to her forehead.

Gibbs felt worse than ever.

"If I may be so bold, milady, to offer my professional opinion?" Jack said, winking.

Elizabeth was about to say, "Certainly," when Will cut in. "Jack, leave."

"No!" Elizabeth said. "Will, we´re not courting anymore, can´t you see? Jack and I, we´re-" she stopped, and looked at Jack, just standing near her table and chair.

"In love," he supplied. He gave her his most ravishing smile and Elizabeth smiled uncertainly, then remembered back to the Barnacle Tavern in Port Royal. What Jack had promised to tell her once in Tortuga.

Will´s face turned red and stony. "Fine. Elizabeth, I love you, but- Annamaria is just as good as you!" His eyes brimming with tears for what seemed like the thousandth time, he turned away and went back to deck, muttering to himself.

"Jack, what was it that you promised to tell me once we were in Tortuga?" Elizabeth asked, after she bid Gibbs goodbye with a shudder.

Jack moseyed to her bed, sat next to her and breathed in her ear, "Pirates aren´t s´posed ta fall in luuuurve." Ever so slowly, he slithered his tongue into her ear, and Elizabeth shivered, overcome with passion and overall lust.

"Jack," she said, as he faced her, his eyelids heavy, lips curved. "I can´t kiss you without thinking of Gibbs. Please, I need some time."

"Elizabeth," Jack said, "I love you. I´d do anything for you." He gently kissed her hands and went up to deck. Elizabeth slumped over and fell asleep, not knowing how exhausted she was.

Jack noticed Annamaria staring at the Tortuga coastline. "She´s out there somewhere," she said softly. She turned and saw Jack. She had tears glistening in her eyes, and said gruffly, "Mama, she´s out there. Tortuga, I mean."

Jack patted her on the shoulder. "Be not worried, m´dear. She´s here, I know it." Annamaria smiled grimly. "Let´s go." 


	9. Captain Marcella Castilla

Nightfall arrived as the other pirates went off drinking with the whores, minus Gibbs, who stayed on the Black Pearl. Elizabeth sleepily stumbled along with Jack, Annamaria, Will, Mick, and Layla. Layla chattered in French to passerby, but most of them had no idea what she was saying. But one, a voodoo priestess, recognized, "Marcella Castilla, _ou est-elle_?"

She replied, in a frightened voice, "Lady with two men- _L´auberge Heureuse de Grenouille_!" Then she clutched her throat and seemed to hop away.

"The Happy Frog Inn," translated Mick. The motley crew turned toward the darkest building at the edge of Tortuga.

Elizabeth gasped. "It looks so scary!" She clutched Jack´s arm. While Jack appreciated this, he wished Elizabeth could be a little more brave. Simpering idiots have no reason to be on the Black Pearl. Then Jack felt horrible- it wasn´t her fault Gibbs was drunk beyond all reason and had a mind to get himself a whore in the form of his friend´s love. So instead of rolling his eyes, he embraced her. "Darling, you´re about ta meet th´ Queen of Cuba! Don´ be scared!"

Undercover of the night, Jack, Mick, and Will entered the gloomy inn. Annamaria was NOT happy about this.

"Please, mates, it´s MY mother," she protested. 

"These aren´ pirates who are gon´ appreciate tha´ sentiment, missy," Mick said. Annamaria glared, and in the end, Layla and Elizabeth had to hold her back as the men ventured in the Happy Frog Inn.

Jack found the owner, a man who looked a little like Mr. Cotton minus the parrot and plus fifty pounds. He regarded them warily. "_Bon soir, amis; buenos noches, amigos_; ´allo mates, what can I do ya for?"

"May I see your check-in book?" Jack said.

When the man didn´t comply, Will unsheathed his sword and Jack lazily drew his dagger. "Why, you ask? Well, I´m Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

The man let them have it. They scanned the entries- several of them were Mick and Layla under false names, Mick admitted- until they found "Bartholomew, Morgan, and Poppet," room 20.

"´S them," said Mick helpfully.

Will brandished his sword at the stairwell. "Now or never." 

Pintel and Ragetti had Marcella tied up in a chair, bound and gagged, as she had been for almost a week. Ragetti, still with his hapless wooden eye, was swirling his wretched tongue around her ear. Pintel was teasing at Marcella, running his hands over her thighs and breasts, pressing his mouth against her gagging rag. This had been going on for quite some time and Marcella was used to it. Her dark brown eyes, identical to her daughter´s, were looking up at the ceiling, trying to ignore it.

Suddenly the door broke down. Jack, Will, and Mick stood in the dust. "Avast, you mangy, slimy curs!" Will barked, amazed that that had come out of his mouth.

Pintel and Ragetti stopped molesting the captain. "What- whazzat? Jack Sparrow- Bootstrap? And Mick Carothers," said Pintel, his yellow eyes narrowed in confusion and hatred.

"My name is Will Turner," glowered Will, his sword drawn.

"So i´ is," Pintel smirked. "Tell us, mate, how ye found us and this cap´n?"

Marcella squeaked, trying to shout, "Shoot them!" but her rag smelt of ether and all-around stink, so she stopped. She emitted some gutteral noises instead, and Jack noticed her. 

Smiling a little bit, he winked at her. To Pintel, he said, "Mate, you needn´t know, ´specially since you of all people know that I´m Captain Jack Spa-"

"Brilliant answer," sneered Ragetti. "Quite original."

"And you, you blasted blighter, how you ever got off tha´ island´s a miracle in itself, eh?" Jack replied.

"We´ll tell ya how we got off ´s long as we know how YOU found US," Pintel shrieked.

"But it´s no question!" said Mick. Snatching his gun from the depths of the folds of his moldy coat, he shot Pintel and Ragetti. They howled in pain, as Mick had only shot them in the arm.

"Was that on purpose?" Will exclaimed, as he found a length of rope by the bedpost. He whirled around Pintel and Ragetti, tying them together.

"Wha´ d´you think ´twas?" Mick smirked. He helped Jack free Marcella from her captive chair and ripped the gag from her mouth.

"Let´s beat it!" Will cried.

"Thank you," Marcella shouted as they bolted down the stairs and dashed out of the door onto the main road.

"Anytime, milady," Jack replied, clutching her arm.

Back in the alley were the women were hiding, Marcella and Annamaria reunited.

"Mama- you´re beautiful," Annamaria whispered breathlessly.

"Back atcha," Marcella gasped. Without another word, she grasped Annamaria in a hug, sobbing furiously.

Mick, Layla, Jack, Elizabeth, and Will looked on proudly, and finally Marcella broke away. She turned to Jack and said, "Thank you, Captain Sparrow. This week has been hell. . . but I did manage to make the best of it!"

"Did ya now? Superb. Cap´n, may I introduce my close friends Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Mick´s wife Layla?" Jack said.

"Charmed," Marcella grinned, her smile stretching across her lovely face.

Elizabeth asked timidly, "Captain, how did they capture you?"

"They told me, because they were so sure I would never escape- so I was in Port-au-Prince loading up supplies for a long trip to Boriquien. . . then all of a sudden I was captured. Shackled, blindfolded, gagged. But those two were idiots- there were loads of times when I probably could have escaped. They made it almost amusing- they dressed up in my clothes and spoke in high voices for pleasure. Eventually they let my gag off but I made fun of them so the gag went back on. Then the abuse began."

Elizabeth squinched her eyes. She knew all too well.

"What a coupla blighters," Jack said, rolling his eyes.

"Coupla blighters indeed, Captain," Marcella said, bowing. "I cannot thank you enough."

"Ah, m´dear, you could´ve escaped- you said so yourself. I just helped you a bit," Jack said. "It was just a matter of time."

Elizabeth felt herself stiffen. She felt "m´dear" was her personal pet name. She told herself to relax. Will smiled at her through the darkness.

Annamaria said, "Jack, you brave, heroic, courageous-" With every compliment, Jack smiled bigger. But she wasn´t finished. "-idiotic son of a bitch! What the HELL were you thinking? Those two aren´t dead yet! We have to get out of here- they could be hell-bent on revenge, you buffoon!"

Jack smiled dropped off his face. He grabbed Elizabeth´s hand and said in a low voice, "C´mon you lot, we´re going to The Faithful Bride-" Elizabeth squeezed his hand tighter "-and staking out. If they catch us we´ll fight to the death."

Layla was pulled into a passionate lip lock with Mick before they set off. Will shyly looked at Annamaria. As the crew started skulking out of the alley, Annamaria pulled Will close, so they were forehead to forehead. She was amazed with herself, usually her only two emotions were anger and sleepiness. "Will," she whispered. "I love you." Then she kissed Will full-on, making his gasp.

"Annamaria," he eked out, as they trotted behind the rest, "I love you too."

Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks. Did she hear what she thought she heard? She couldn´t ask Will- Jack pulled her back to his side and slipped into the tavern.

It was noisy and smelly and sallow as always. Jack sidled to a private room and told Will to "keep an eye out." 

Jack, Elizabeth, Annamaria, Marcella, Mick, and Layla went to a wax-stained table and sat down. Even in the dim lighting, Elizabeth could see what a beauty Marcella was. She had the same creamy brown skin, raven hair, and liquid brown eyes as her daughter. Even in her late thirties, Marcella Castilla was gorgeous.

Jack cleared his throat. It didn´t feel right sitting at a table with the three women he´d like to shag most. As they ordered drinks, Marcella said, "Captain, I still feel a great debt towards you. Perhaps this do for some of it?" And she kissed Jack on the lips. Jack wasn´t going to pretend he didn´t like it, but he did push her away after Elizabeth went stony.

"Well, thank ye, Cap´n," Jack said gruffly. 

Marcella smiled a bit. Annamaria rolled her eyes. Elizabeth gnawed the inside of her cheek. Mick raised his tankard of rum to toast.

"Ta goo´ chums," he said.

Elizabeth raised her mug of brandy. "To faithful companions," she said to Jack, eyes narrowed. She didn´t realize the irony of the situation.

"_A bonne vie_," said Layla primly.

"To grateful captives," Marcella said.

Annamaria said, "To new loves." She said this and Will looked over and smiled.

"To new adventures," finished Jack and they drank. 


	10. More Barroom Blues and Swann's Recovery

They stayed out until dawn came and Pintel and Ragetti still hadn´t found them. Elizabeth had her head on Jack´s shoulder (apparently he´d been forgiven); Mick and Layla were passionately kissing; and Will, Annamaria, and Jack were listening to Marcella´s stories of her famed voyages on the Spanish Main and the entire ocean.

"Course, this wasn´t the first time I´d been captured but this is the longest I´ve ever gone," Marcella finished.

Annamaria couldn´t help asking, "Mama, why did you leave Papa and me?"

"Darling, your father would never have let me sail again as long as I lived with him." Marcella bowed her head. "That´s why I left you all my pieces of eight and shillings and doubloons. . . for you to run away and find me too."

"Oh, Mama," said Annamaria, trying not to cry. She sat up straight. "I´m so glad you´re with me, for good."

"Here, here," Jack murmured. He then roused Elizabeth. "Darling, wake up."

"Mmm?" Elizabeth said drowsily. "Whazzat?"

"Time to go back to the Pearl," Jack said. He added playfully, "Time to go, poppet!" echoing Pintel´s semi-perverse nickname for Elizabeth.

Elizabeth flinched, then giggled. "Those bumbling fools," she said. "I´m quite shattered, let´s go."

They stood up to go and suddenly, Ragetti and Pintel, with heavily bandaged arms, loomed up at them, leering eerily.

"´Allo poppet," Pintel snarled. "´Member me?" He leaped at Elizabeth and held his gun to her head. "No moving, popkin, don´ wanna be doin´ that."

Elizabeth squeaked. She felt like passing out, she was so tired. Will, Mick, and Jack all waved their respective weapons at him, but Ragetti grabbed Marcella and Annamaria and slipped out quietly, wincing as they bit and scratched at his hands.

"You bastard," said Will, "and I thought you´d something better to do than threaten a helpless girl."

Elizabeth glared at him. She was NOT helpless.

"Shut up!" yelled Pintel and here is where he made his fateful mistake: He waggled his pistol at them! Elizabeth took this opportunity to kick Pintel´s crotch and elbow him in his gut, sending his gun flying. Jack caught it (natch) and Pintel moaned in pain.

"Say goodbye, mate," Mick roared. With this, Elizabeth, next to Jack, noticed Layla was gone!

Suddenly a high-heeled foot struck Pintel´s wretched rear and sent him careening into the table. Jack cocked Pintel´s pistol at him. "Unconscious."

"Now, THAT´S what you call ironic," crowed Will triumphantly.

"Where´re the cap´n lass an´ ´er daughter?" cried Mick. As everyone looked round, a small voice said quietly,

"_Excusez-moi, je voudrais un ´merci´_!" It was Layla, owner of the high-heeled foot.

"Layla!" cried Mick and swung her round. "´S get outta here ´fore we end up like the cap´n an´ her daughter!"

"Marcella an´ Anna are gone?!" said Jack, whipping his head around to scan the room. He dashed out of the Faithful Bride and his eyes searched wildly. 

Behind the tavern, Annamaria chomped down on Ragetti´s hand, making him scream in pain. "That´s wha´ ya get fer stealing my mother!" Annamaria barked, breaking free and tossing Marcella an empty bottle.

Marcella took this opportunity to clock Ragetti on the head with it, and he crumpled to the ground. "´S get outta here, darling," she cried to Annamaria, and the duo dashed round front, sneaking up on Jack. "There y´are!" Jack shouted happily. "C´mon, the other lot´re right here."

The little rescuers started clomping down the main road down to the docks. Elizabeth, snug and safe inside the crook of Jack´s arm, prayed for her safe return to her father. Maybe she wasn´t cut out for piracy after all. 

Governor Swann was fine. After he pitched forward into the ocean, he was saved by Captain Gillette. He received a promotion to Admiral for his valiant rescue.

Lily, Mary, and Catherine- the maids- tended to Weatherby Swann during his period of convalescence. He would not let anyone else see him, even Admiral Gillette.

"Mary, kindly bring in my lunch," the Governor rasped the next afternoon.

"Yes, Governor," Mary replied, and went out. Catherine and Lily resumed fluffing his pillows, dusting the paintings on his wall, and sweeping his floor.

"Thank you, Mary," Governor Swann said to Mary, who brought in tray of delicious hearty foods. He tucked in and shooed the maids out when he was done. Just as the shrill little maid Lily was about to close the door, Governor Swann called, "Wait!"

They cautiously shuffled back in. He cleared his throat. "Girls, do you know anything about Elizabeth?"

Lily said, "Guv´ner, I heard from my sister´s husband´s cousin, Mick Smith, or something, that he was picked up by a crew in Tortuga. Rumored to have been commanded by Captain Jack Sparrow-" The maids sighed with delight "- and that Will Turner, and a few others. And a black girl. Another girl was there too, seemed to like running around in her undergarments."

Governor Swann half-sighed, half-grunted. So Elizabeth was alive and well and living in her unmentionables.

"Thank you, Lily,Ó" Weatherby Swann said. "Please leave."

"Yes, Guv´ner," Lily said and shuffled back out.

_Elizabeth, a pirate_? Governor Swann thought as he settled in for a nap. _Preposterous._


	11. Addition and Subtraction of the Crew

The rest of the Black Pearl´s crew quietly assembled on deck, while hundreds of miles away, Governor Swann napped. Cotton´s parrot squawked, "Dead men tell no tales!"

"Shut up Cotton," Gibbs said blearily. "We´re nowhere near Isla de Muerta."

"All right," Jack said. "Captain Marcella Castilla has bin rescued, an´ now we´re sailing ta-"

"If I may be so bold as to inquire if I may. . . join. . . the Black Pearl´s crew?" Marcella asked, shyly if not slyly.

Annamaria snatched her mother´s hand. "Oh, Mama!"

"Absolutely," Jack said, "I´ll agree ´s long as ye agree to sail as me co-captain."

Marcella exclaimed, "Oh, Captain Sparrow!" She made to kiss him again but Jack held up his hands.

"That´s all right, Cap´n," he said.

"Thank you," Marcella said. She blushed, gave a little wave, and Annamaria led her down to her cabin.

"Now, will you sail under the Queen of Cuba and me onesies?" Jack barked.

"Aye!" everyone cheered and went down to their bunks. Gibbs, Will, Elizabeth, and Jack stayed behind.

Elizabeth shivered and drew close to Jack. Gibbs noticed this and spoke.

"Cap´n, where now?"

Jack turned to eye the scruffy, short man with mutton chops and a canteen slung on his stubby hip. "Well, first ta Port Royal ta drop off dear Elizabeth. Then, who knows? Certainly not I." He flashed his gold teeth in a huge grin. "Wherever the wind will take us."

Elizabeth almost melted in his arms. He sounded so courageous, so darling, so ah. . .

Will broke her wave of ecstasy by yelling, "Jack, I´m joining you!"

"O´ course, mate! I would ´a bin surprised if ya didn´," Jack said. "G´night, me hearties." Smiling, Will went down below. Gibbs followed suit. 

Left alone, Jack and Elizabeth turned to face each other. It was around three in the afternoon, but Elizabeth felt incredibly woozy from lack of sleep. 

"Elizabeth, I just want ta tell ya," Jack said, "that that night on the island. . . I really wanted to. . . y´know."

"Oh, Jack, I was a silly little girl then. . . I was in love with Will. . . you understand don´t you?" She thought, _He´d better understand or else he´ll never have another chance to undress me_.

"O´ course, darling," Jack said and ducked to kiss her. "Sleep with me," he whispered.

Elizabeth wanted to. Badly. But if her father found out he would shut her in a nunnery faster than you could say "savvy." She whispered back, "Jack, I can´t. Gibbs. . ."

"Fine." Jack drew away. He smiled devilishly. "You still have to sleep in my bed."

"Fine." Giggling deliriously, they went to Jack´s quarters and fell asleep as the afternoon turned to dusk and the twinkling stars shone as brightly as the moon. 

It was afternoon again when they awoke. Jack was ready for going back to Jamaica and dropping his one true love off. He could tell she wasn´t wild about it but it had to happen, aye?

Elizabeth rose sleepily. She smelled a pungent odor and realized it was her. She could use a lovely swim in the ocean, all alone with her thoughts and decided to practice her famous Swann dive, the one she´d been working on since she saw Jack perform his perfect one last year, just before they got marooned. She glided down the main staircase and self-consciously began slipping off her shift and leaving only a cloth tightly wrapped around her breasts so they wouldn´t be a bother, and her pantaloons. She climbed up on the edge of the Pearl and swan-dived off and into the cool water of the Spanish Main.

Jack, bringing a few biscuits for Elizabeth up from the mess hall, heard a splash and ran to the side of the ship. He saw Elizabeth surface and tread water. "Elizabeth!" he shouted down to her.

"Yes?" she said, practically gaily. She sucked in air and dove beneath again. It was wonderful to be all alone- almost. She wished Jack was with her. She heard another plunk a few feet away and saw Jack next to her.

"´Allo, dear." Jack swam to her and gave her a soft kiss on the mouth. She grinned and submerged once more, pulling Jack with her. Opening her eyes and wincing on account of the saltwater, she saw the beautiful, perfect specimen of manhood in front of her. . .

Will. 

Jack had been shoved out of the way and Will was now in front of her, air bubbles flowing out of his nose, which wasn´t very sexy at all. Elizabeth grimaced and bobbed up.

"Oh, Will, hello," Elizabeth gasped, breathing in gulps of air. "Didn´t hear you join us."

"Yeah," supplied Jack. He eased onto his back and looked up into the blindingly blue sky. "Oh, what a day ta be ´live, eh, chums?"

"Yes," Elizabeth agreed, floating merrily. "Oh, Jack, Will- must I go home?"

"´Fraid so, Eliza," Jack said, tilting his head to look at her. "The guv´ner would be none too pleased ta find out ´is daughter joined the ranks of rogues such as myself, permanently, anyway."

"But I don´t CARE about what my father says, Jack! That´s why I escaped with you in the first place!" Elizabeth protested, and immersed herself, twirling her hair like a mermaid. She was more than a little angry at. . . well, everyone. Jack for being right, her father for being controlling, Will for being near her. She was getting tired.

"I think I´m going to go visit Mick and Layla," she said abruptly. She looked at the rope dangling over the edge of the Black Pearl and grabbed it and started climbing up the side. 

Will was just off swimming, trying to forget the image of Annamaria and Elizabeth, floating above his head, saying, "We love you, Will. . ." 

He swam back to Jack, doing the breaststroke. _Fitting_, he thought. "Jack?"

"Yes´m?"

"What´s wrong with Elizabeth?"

"Gee, boy, let´s think. Gibbs touches ´er inappropriately, ya almost kill all of us, ya cheat on ´er wit´ Annamaria an´ soon declare yer love fer dear Anna. Not ta mention disobeying ´er father an´ getting a goo´ taste of Tortuga nightlife. . ." Jack said, ticking the reasons off with his fingers. 

Will rolled his eyes. "Yes, I think that would make for her odd state."

"Yes. Now, let´s bring th´ Pearl ta Port Royal an´ take. . . Liz. . . home." Jack´s eyes were pricked with tears, and it wasn´t because of the saltwater.

Up on the deck, Elizabeth sobbed quietly.


	12. The Changes of Heart

**Author´s Note: Sorry I took so long to update. . . writer´s block. Luckily, here's some more (also, like Hispaniola became Haiti/Dominican Republic, Boriquien became Puerto Rico):**

~*~

Annamaria rose from her bed, and immediately got bored. Heading to Port Royal to drop off Elizabeth was not her idea of fun. Getting crazily "intoxicated" (pretending to be drunk was even more entertaining) with Jack and dancing on top of bar counters- that was her idea of fun. But she got dressed anyway and headed down to the mess hall, where Cotton, Gibbs, and all the rest were gobbling their spoilt porridge. She winced. She´d been a pirate since she was relatively young but could never get used to the food. "Hey, Gibbs!" she called. 

"Aye, Annamaria?" Gibbs twitched involuntarily. He felt a great sense of gratitude toward Jack and Annamaria, who seemed to be the only crew members who would even look at Gibbs square in the eye. But thought they tolerated his presence, it didn´t shake the fact that they still found him incomprehensibly disgusting.

"Uh, would you mind accompanying me to find Jack? I need to ask him something regarding our arrival in Port Royal." Annamaria picked up a rock-hard biscuit and slipped it in her pocket. "But firs´ we need ta find me mum. Where did she slip off to?"

"I´m right here, swee´ Anna," Marcella said, appearing behind Annamaria and hugging her from behind. "Where is me co-captain?"

"We´re trying to look for him," Annamaria told her. She gently shook off her mother´s gesture of affection and faced her. "I´d say that he´s off shagging Elizabeth or something," she added, immediately regretting her words.

Gibbs´ face crumpled and he exhaled a gust of foul-smelling air. "On second thought, maybe I better not join ya, Anna."

"No no, I was only joking, Gibbs. . . it´s all right." Annamaria patted him instead of clapping him, like she would normally. 

Marcella, sensing tension, busied herself with adjusting her linen shirt and cinching her beautifully woven belt that she had tied artfully around the baggy shirt. She´d prefer to go topless like she had on the shores of Boriquien so many times before, but what could she do? The men on this ship were not accustomed to this captain. "M´dear, I´ll be right back," she said to Annamaria, who nodded, and went off with Gibbs up to the deck.

Elizabeth, hearing footsteps up the creaky wooden stairs, wiped her eyes and dashed into Jack´s cabin. But not before she stole a glimpse of her two loves below, splashing about in the water. Apparently her departure hadn´t made Jack or Will emote oddly. She quickly dashed in, and pressed against the space between the door and wall. Sure enough, Annamaria slammed the door open and Elizabeth was securely hidden.

"Jack?" Elizabeth heard Annamaria bark. Through a tiny hole in the door, Elizabeth watched Annamaria gingerly poke the lump of blankets and hiss, "Gibbsy, he ain´t here. Where the hell is he?"

Elizabeth went rigid. Gibbs. Gibbs. Joshamee Gibbs was near her. Without Jack by her side. She started shaking. She gripped her hands, making indents with her nails. She could get through this. Gibbs wouldn´t hurt her. Annamaria was there.

"Well, maybe he just went to visit Will in his bunk," Gibbs suggested. Elizabeth sighed with relief and then crept out and into Jack´s bed. So soft, so comfortable. She pulled the blankets round and settled in, pulling Jack´s pillow under her head. But it was heavy. Elizabeth sat up and emptied the pillow- some feathers and empty rum bottles fell out. She shook her head. That´s why she loved Jack- he always stayed the same under any circumstances. 

"Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate´s life for me," she sang softly and made Jack´s bed. "We pilfer, we plunder, we rifle, we loot. Drink up me hearties, yo ho. . ." In considerably better spirits, Elizabeth twirled out of Jack´s room and smack into Cotton. "Ooh! Mr. Cotton, apologies!"

"Any port in the storm," his parrot replied.

"Yes, well," Elizabeth murmured and went down to Mick and Layla´s room. She had a question for them. 

Jack was done with swimming in near silence with Will. "Willie, ´s go find Liz an´ round up the crew- we have to start sailing fer Port Royal soon. Elizabeth isn´ in great shape right now."

"Yes," Will agreed. He went silent, as if in thought. "Jack?" he finally asked.

"Yeah?"

"I still love Elizabeth." Will bowed his head and grabbed the rope and started rappelling himself up the side of the Black Pearl, apparently not needing a response. As he fell onto the deck, he sucked in air and tried to blink saltwater out of his eyes, wiping them. 

Annamaria ran up the stairs again and found Will with red eyes. _Dammit, if that man cries one more time, I´ll go mad_. "William, d´you know where our dear cap´n is?"

Will sniffled. _Why can´t I move on?_ he asked himself as his beautiful new companion helped him to his feet. "He´s down there. . . he, me, and Elizabeth were swimming." Without a parting word, he stumbled downstairs.

Annamaria exhaled sharply. She leaned over the edge and hollered, "JACK! C´mon up here! I gotta ask ya something!"

"Coming," Jack replied. He shimmied up the rope and hopped onto deck, coiling the rope and dropping it next to him.

"When are we to make berth in Port Royal?" Annamaria asked.

"Soon. Tomorrow night at the latest," Jack said. He noticed Will had disappeared yet again. He decided to pretend not to care.

"All right," responded Annamaria. She turned to leave and paused.

"Jack?"

"Yes, darling?" Jack said casually, wringing out his dreadlocks, stripping off his soaked shirt. AnnamariaÕs breath caught in her throat. It´d been so long since she´d seen Jack shirtless. His tattoos and permanently tanned chest and muscles- oh God. _Will, Will, Will. Keep thinking about Will. For the love of whatever is up there_.

"Annamaria," Jack teased, twisting up his shirt and snapping it at her. Droplets of water landed on her, getting in her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored the tang- it was Jack´s taste.

"Nothing. I was just going to ask where Will was," Annamaria snapped, returning to her bitchy mode.

"I haven´ seen ´em," Jack shrugged. Annamaria glowered at him and stomped downstairs.

"Chris´, what has gotten into my crew?" Jack asked himself and laughed a little bit. "Talkin´ to me onesies. I really have cracked." He tossed away his shirt and went to his bunk. He needed a good nap. 


	13. A Makeup, Three Makeouts, and Homecoming

Elizabeth was scarred for life (well, even further). Instead of engaging in a delightful conversation with Mick and Layla Carothers, she had walked in on their lovemaking. Good God, what an abomination. She had to look away and clap her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting.

"When I decide to engage in relations I will make sure the door is securely locked," she hissed to herself. "Ew!" So blinded by the abhorrence she just experienced, she walked straight into Will´s room, where Will was scribbling a furious suicide note to whoever cared. "Will!" she gasped, scrambling for the door. "Oh, I´m sorry- I´m just so- oh, my. . ."

"It´s all right," Will replied, standing up. He was feeling confused as ever. Did Elizabeth come into his room intentionally, if so, for what?

"Um. . . well, Will, please talk to me!" Elizabeth suddenly exclaimed. "A month ago we were a couple and courting like mad. Now you´re with Annamaria and I´m with Jack. And I´m leaving you three, possibly forever."

Will crumpled the paper in his hand. "You´re right. Why leave on a sour note?" He walked over to her and smiled a little bit, and cupped her face in his hand.Will was suddenly reminded of the day everything changed- the day the Black Pearl came to Port Royal. He thought, _The moment I asked Elizabeth if she loved me. Instead of answering, she sought out the Pearl from miles away. The beginning of our end._

He yanked his hand away and said softly, "I´m sorry for everything I´ve put you through." He looked at his shoes.

"Oh Will!" Elizabeth about shrieked. "I´m so sorry, too!" She lunged for him, totally blind to what she was doing for the second time, and kissed him square on the mouth. Three seconds later, she leaped away, crimsoned, and ran up to Jack once again. 

But Marcella had slinked into Jack´s room, where he was curling into a good sleep position, not noticing the handiwork Elizabeth did to his blanket. He gasped inaudibly. Why was she here?!

"´Allo cap´n," she drawled in a soft, silky voice so unlike her daughter´s sharp one. "Enough room in tha´ bed fer one more?"

"I think so, but it´s only fer Elizabeth, my swee´ cap´n," Jack murmured, feeling exceptionally sleepy. _Please, don´ let ´er charms overpower me._

Marcella stopped at the foot of his mattress. "Are you saying. . . you don´ think I´m worthy of sleeping with ye?" she asked in that half-sly, half-winsome way of hers.

Jack shifted so he faced his co-captain. "Cap´n Castilla, I´m tellin´ ya, I´ve given up on strumpets and the like. I´m not a wild man anymore. Elizabeth is my only girl."

Elizabeth, who was ready to open the door, stopped when she heard this, and paused outside his door. Jack called her his only girl! She clasped her hands over her heart. "I love that man," she murmured. Lucky for Jack and Marcella, she hadnÕt noticed to look in the tiny hole in the door.

Marcella pouted. "Really? Yer ONLY girl? Fer certain?" She slithered toward him, on her hands and knees, and before Jack could stop her, she smashed her face on his and started kissing him ferociously. 

"No!" shouted Jack, flailing his arms. He tried not to close his eyes (making it seem like he was enjoying it) but seeing Marcella´s giant face looming up at him made him cross-eyed. He shut them and tried to picture Elizabeth.

Elizabeth herself was curled up outside Jack´s door, in a daze. She pictured Jack on top of her, gently caressing her. . . she clenched her fists and stood up. She was ready. Careful to knock, she called, "Jacky!"

Jack pushed Marcella off of him. "Get off, wench!" he whispered. Marcella didn´t hear him, because she remained next to him, smirking. He found a clean shirt and buttoned it, motioning for Marcella to stand up. "Is tha´ m´dear Liz?"

"Yeah," Elizabeth moaned, her eyes half-closed, still in ecstasy. When Jack opened the door, she fell into his arms and kissed him, feeling like she was in a fairy tale, like the ones her mother told her when she was small. She was a princess and he was a knight in shining armor. She fully closed her eyes, letting her tongue explore JackÕs mouth and his tongue to hers.

Noticing this newfound emotion (lust), Jack frantically swatted at Marcella, still attached to Elizabeth. Marcella noticed his look, which screamed, "I´m gettin´ lucky, get the hell outta here!" She slipped out, still smirking.

Laying Elizabeth down on his bed got Jack excited. Softly breaking away, Jack whispered, "Do you really want to do this?"

Elizabeth smiled gently. "Jack, I´m your only girl. . . of course I do." She reached up and kissed Jack again. 

_A gentlemen always obeys a lady_, Jack thought and slid his hands under her, trying to undo her shift.

"I got it," breathed Elizabeth, and pulled it off. Now just wearing her swimwear, she felt open, free.

"Now, for the grand finale," Jack purred. He took the end of the cloth and started unwinding it. Elizabeth closed her eyes again and sunk into the bed.

Jack finished unwrapping his love, casting the cloth aside. Now partially nude, Elizabeth began slipping off her pantaloons. _Becoming a woman, becoming a woman, becoming a woman with Jack_, she chanted silently, praying that everything would go all right.

Jack buried his face in her messy hair. He smelled how salty it was, how delicious. . . he moved to her neck, running his hands up and down her body.

"Aren´. . . aren´ ya gonna undress?" Elizabeth gasped, passion slowly taking over her speech.

"Soon enough," Jack said. He started kissing down her body.

Then a knock came at his door. "JACK! ELIZABETH! I need ta come in!"

Elizabeth popped her eyes open. "Jack, give me the blanket!" she hissed furiously and covered herself up.

"Come in, Anna," Jack said, sad that he just stripped Elizabeth of her clothes and nothing else.

Annamaria smiled brittlely at them. "We´re here. Port Royal. We dropped the anchor." Will was behind her and they were holding hands.

"Here! Already?!" Elizabeth cried, dropping to the floor, pulling the blanket with her. She grabbed her clothes and said, "I´m going."

Will gaped at her. Had he ever seen her naked? Just in shifts and the like and he couldn´t handle even that. "I´ll bring you," he volunteered before Jack could.

"All right. I´ll be a minute." Elizabeth said and Annamaria closed the door.

Jack folded his arms. He was becoming rather sick of Elizabeth´s constant mood changes, and Will´s, and Annamaria. Stir-crazy? You bet.

"I´ll come with you, darling, I need some fresh air," he said.

"Ready," Elizabeth said, now fully dressed. She gave him a smile and took his hand. 

"Oy! Jack!" Will called from the deck as they paused at the top of the stairwell. "We gonna swim there or take a boat?"

"Depends on milady," Jack told him.

"Let´s take a boat, I´m all swum out," Elizabeth yelled back to Will. She was no longer uncomfortable around him- he was a dear friend. 

"Here, Elizabeth," Will said. He started pulling a rowboat over the edge and helped Elizabeth in. Jack bristled. 

"I´m next, mate," Jack said, flashing Will the golden fronts, causing Will to blink rapidly as the teeth had hit the sunlight. Jack climbed in and said, "C´mon now, tallyho!"

"I´m going home," Elizabeth said, staring at her tiny coastal town. It looked even better than when she had left the year before and came back on the Dauntless. She turned to Jack and Will. "I´m going to miss you so much," she said. She breathed in and out. She was not going to cry.

"Darling, we´re gonna miss ya more´n rum," said Jack, not really meaning the rum part. His rum was important to him as life itself.

"Yes, the Pearl won´t be the same," Will offered with a sad smile.

"Really," Elizabeth whispered under her breath.

"Whazzat, Liz?" Jack asked. He quickly helped Will row to the shore. They hit sand and Elizabeth stumbled out of the boat. Solid ground!

"Nothing," Elizabeth replied, and exhaled. "Home." 

They carefully slid along the dank alleyways of the town, so no one would notice the Governor´s daughter suddenly reappearing with her former companion/blacksmith and Captain Jack Sparrow.

They finally arrived at the huge mansion and climbed over the gates, running up the drive to ElizabethÕs old home. "Almost there!" Elizabeth exclaimed, tears of joy and tragedy falling down her cheeks.

Elizabeth opened the door with a huge tug and immediately Lily, the maid, met her at the door. She did a double take.

"Miss Elizabeth! Oh dear lord, yer here!" Lily squealed, grabbing ElizabethÕs hand. "ÒOh my, oh lord, how do I tell you this?"

"Tell me what?" Elizabeth asked. . . 


	14. Swanns Reunited and A Surprise

**Author´s Note: Extremely short chapter, but I have had writer´s block for awhile. Plus, the DVD came out so I have been watching it! Enjoy this quickie:**

~*~

"Miss Elizabeth," Lily said, grinning from ear to ear, "Yer father has taken the H.M.S. Courage an´ is currently hunting th´ seas fer you."

Elizabeth widened her eyes as Jack and Will burst out laughing.

"Lily, you can´t be serious," Elizabeth said. 

"She´s right," said the reedy voice behind Lily. Behind his maid, the Governor strode and clasped his hand on his daughter´s shoulder. 

"Elizabeth."

"Father!" Elizabeth exclaimed, and Jack and Will quickly stopped laughing and stepped back. Forgetting all means of good manners, she grabbed her dad in a bear hug. "Oh, Father, I missed you so much!!"

The Governor was rather surprised, it wasn´t like Elizabeth to be affectionate towards her elders. "Well, Elizabeth, I missed you as well."

"Hey, Governor Swann, ´member me?" Jack said, smiling his roguish beam. "We returned yer daughter in one piece."

"Yes, thank you," Governor Swann replied stiffly, patting Elizabeth on the back. "I believe thanks are in order." He extended his right hand, and Jack took it and squeezed.

"I also ´ave ta ask Elizabeth something important," Jack said, holding up a finger. He dug around in his waistband that carried his sword, guns, and dagger. 

Then he searched in his coat, and finally removed something and enclosed it in his fist. Finally, he sunk to one knee and said, "Elizabeth, this past month has bin the best a pirate could ask for, even if we were recently interrupted. . ." He winked and Elizabeth smiled uncertainly. What was he to ask her?

"An' I know I could never fashion you in the life of luxury you mus´ be used ta, but I do know that this cap´n never felt so ´live till I felt your lips on mine. So, Elizabeth Swann, will ya do me the utmost honor of bein´ my wife?" He opened his hand, to reveal a golden band with a tiny pearl on top. Yes, the pearl was black.

Will´s, Lily´s, and Governor Swann´s collective jaws dropped. Elizabeth felt faint and tears filled her eyes.

Her mind raced. _I love Jack, but do I love him enough to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him? _

Jack´s mind raced. _Please say yes, or I´ll look like a bloody fool on ´is knees, holdin´ a ring._

Will´s mind raced. _I should have done that myself when we were still a couple. Maybe Annamaria might like it if I do the same thing for her?_

The Governor´s mind raced. _My little girl, the wife of a pirate? Well, he didn´t get her killed, so what´s the worst that could happen?_

Lily´s mind raced. _Miss Elizabeth and Jack Sparrow? Oh my God! What´s for dinner?_

Elizabeth opened her mouth and said, "Jack, I would be honored." 


	15. The End, or Is It Just the Beginning?

"Tha´s a yes, right?!" Jack said, taking Elizabeth´s hand.

"Yes!" Elizabeth replied, tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Captain Jack Sparrow, I love you so much!" She tore herself from her father and crashed into Jack, sending the ring flying. She found his lips and snatched them in a passionate kiss.

Will smiled. He wasn´t in the least bit jealous. Not at all. When Jack finally scrambled to slide the ring onto Elizabeth´s milky white finger, he said, "Will, yer my best man, an´ I´m not takin´ a no fer an answer, savvy?"

"Oh, yes, Will, be Jack´s best man!" Elizabeth cried, and also body-slammed Will in a hug. She kissed his cheek and drew away, tears running sloppily down her face.

"Well, I suppose I´ll have to accept, God knows what would happen if I didn´t!" said Will, becoming a little teary-eyed himself. He hugged Jack and Elizabeth at once.

When they broke apart, Elizabeth looked over at her father, who was looking very pale. "Father?" she asked tentatively. "Does Jack have your blessing?"

_Bloody hell_, Jack thought. _Forgot about him._

Governor Swann said, "Elizabeth, a little more than a year ago you got a proposal from Commodore Norrington, may he rest in peace." Here all five bowed their heads. "You did not give him a definitive answer until your then beloved was in peril. William Turner was rescued as a wedding gift from the commodore to you, and then after Turner rescued Captain Sparrow from his hanging, you denied the commodore of marriage and then started courting with Mr. Turner. A year later, you escape with William again and Captain Sparrow to go to Cuba without any notice besides a letter on your pillow." He paused here and sighed. Elizabeth took Jack´s hand and clutched it tightly.

"Where is this leading, Father?" she asked.

"Patience, Elizabeth. While you were gone, I did all I could to try to get you back. Nothing worked because of the bumbling Navy officers. I slipped into depression and one particular day I was feeling most distressed. I am told I fell off the Fort Charles bell tower, and was rescued by Admiral Gillette- that´s why he was promoted, you know. I then was bedridden and when I finally got well, you show up wearing nothing but your petticoat and holding the hand of Captain Sparrow. A pirate."

Elizabeth was hurting Jack´s hand. "Father, a simple yes or no would suffice."

The governor held up a hand. "And Captain Sparrow proposes. You accept without a moment´s hesitation. . . how could I not give Sparrow my blessing?"

"Oh, Father!" Elizabeth squealed, fresh tears spilling over. She threw her arms round her dad and pressed against him, totally uninhibited. "Thank you so much."

"Yes, thank you very much, Guv´ner," Jack said, offering a handshake once more. Governor Swann accepted with a wry smile.

"When shall this joyous occasion take place?" Will asked, trying not to notice that Lily was practically breathing down his collar.

"Soon," Elizabeth cried. "Oh, Jack. . . I want it to be on the Black Pearl, with all the crew. Even Gibbs."

"O´ course, darling! And rum?" Jack asked hopefully.

Elizabeth responded, "Jack, m´dear, I believe you were the one who said, ´A wedding? I love weddings! Drinks all around!´ And I will certainly not be the one to deprive you of that."

Will, Jack, and Lily burst out laughing. Jack lifted Elizabeth up and twirled her around. "Darling, ya made me th´ happiest man alive."

"And you made me the happiest woman alive, Jack," Elizabeth said, and kissed him on the nose. "C´mon, let´s alert the crew! We´ve a wedding to plan!"

"I´m coming with you," Governor Swann told her.

"Meet the crew, Father, why not?" Elizabeth grinned. Nothing could get her down.

They set off down to the docks, and into their little boat. Lily said she´d start preparing for wedding food, and stayed behind.

Elizabeth skipped the whole way down to the docks, feeling giddy and very girlish. She talked of her dream wedding, and how she never would expected, that at 21, she would end up the wife of the most fearsome pirate of the Spanish Main.

Jack listened with enthusiasm, totally ecstatic that the girl of his dreams was going to be marrying him. "Liz, what´s gonna be fer food? Ya know I´m no good with these sorta things." "Ssh," Elizabeth chided him, pressing a finger against his lips. "Let´s celebrate ´fore we start planning."

They climbed over the edge of the Black Pearl, and Marcella, Annamaria, Gibbs, Mick, and Layla stood expecting.

"Governor Swann?" Gibbs and Annamaria gasped. Annamaria stepped back, Jack and Will did, but the other couple looked bemused. Gibbs strode forward and took the GovernorÕs hand.

"We meet again, Governor Swann," he said, smiling guiltily.

Elizabeth smiled back at him, he was forgiven. Moving right along, she said, "Father, meet my dear friends Annamaria, Mick Carothers, and his wife Layla." Annamaria nodded, Mick stuck his hand out, and Layla curtsied. Governor Swann gingerly took MickÕs hand and let go as quickly as possible, discreetly wiping his hand on his kerchief.

"Well, the rest of the crew is below deck, shall we call them up?" Will asked, taking Annamaria by the hand. Annamaria had to smile.

"Hey, Guv´ner Swann, wanna meet my mother, Captain Castilla? The Queen of Cuba?" she asked cockily.

The governor smiled wryly. "The only pirate to pillage Port-au-Prince in an hour, only to disappear without a trace with several hundred valuable jewel necklaces of the governor´s mistress?"

"The very same," said Marcella, coming up the stairs, followed by Cotton, Marty, and the rest. "What´s all this ballyhoo?"

Jack stepped forward, cleared his throat, and announced, "Elizabeth and I are engaged to be wed."

"Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!" squawked Cotton´s parrot. 

"Cotton says congratulations," Gibbs said, smiling broadly. "And so do I." He quickly outstretched his arms, and embraced Jack wordlessly.

Jack, slightly taken aback, smiled resignedly, and gently pushed him off. "Yer all invited to our wedding, naturally it´ll take place on this here deck. Will´s my best man, can´ think of anyone better fer th´ job."

Everyone applauded, eyeing the governor warily.

"Oh yes," Elizabeth said, "this is my father, Governor of Port Royal."

"Very pleased to make all of your acquaintances," he said, somewhat stiffly. "Oh, Elizabeth, I must be carrying on. I have to start preparing for the wedding, and sending out invitations, and-"

"Father, this is my wedding- leave it to me," Elizabeth said. "I´ll help you back to shore, you can have a nice rest." She stage-whispered, "While we go out an´ get drunk!" to Jack, Will, Annamaria, and all the others. They chuckled.

"Well, all right, Elizabeth, I´ll talk to you later," he said, as the rowboat was lowered into the water. "Be careful, all right?"

"Yes Father," Elizabeth giggled, suppressing the hysterical feeling growing inside her. The governor and one of the lesser crew members rowed back to shore. Elizabeth waited. As soon as she strained to see the sillhouette of her father, she turned round, and hooted with happiness. "Let´s celebrate!" she howled.

Everyone cheered and bottles of rum were passed to many grubby hands.

"A toast!" Jack exclaimed, waving his jug in the air. He turned to Elizabeth, wrapped his arm round her, and said, "Ta m´dear love."

"To MY dear love," Elizabeth repeated. She smiled.

"To that chick and our cap´n," Marty said, his appropriate-to-his-size bottle of rum overflowing with suds.

"To Elizabeth and Jack, my best friends," Will said, struggling to hold back his emotions. "And to Annamaria, MY love." Annamaria grinned at this.

"To Cap´n Jack and Liz, because I knew they´d end up together in the end," she whooped.

"To Jack, ´cause even when I led ya astray, ya stayed true ta Elizabeth," Marcella said, still slightly shamed.

"To Jack Sparrow and his lady," said Mick, and slipped a bottle of rum out of his sash. He popped the cork, took a swig, and smothered Layla in a monstrous kiss.

"To Jack and Elizabeth!" everyone hollered, and the hearties drank up, yo ho. 

~*~

**Author´s Note: Well, that´s the end, but if I get enough support for a sequel I´d be more than happy to write it. Otherwise, I´m going to write other fanfics. . . hope you enjoyed reading Sex, Lies, and Mr. Gibbs as much as I enjoyed writing it.**


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